
Class r 1^1 

Book .B'a"LA<=} 



Brother Albrecht's Secret 
Chamber 



A Legend of the Ancient Moravian Sun Inn 
of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania 



with Historical Notes Concerning Persons and Events during 
Colonial and Revolutionary Days 






BY 

JAMES B. LAUX 



UTITZ. PENNA. 
1914 



^rVt 



^^ 






z ^ .^ 




Colonial Governor of Pa. 




Brother Albrecht's Secret 
Chamber 



A Legend of the Ancient Moravian Sun Inn 
of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania 



JAMES B. LAUX 



• of Tile Historical Society of Pennsylvania ; New York Slate Historical Association : 
American Historical Association : Society of American Authors : 
National Geographic Society, etc. 



Komnil, Uriiiler. trinket froh mit iiiir, 

Sdit wie die Becher schaumen ! 
Rei \'olIeii (jlasseni vvnllen wir 

Ein Stiinclchc!! hicr vertraumen ! 

Das Aiige flatnmt. <lie Wange gliiht. 
In Uiihnen Tiincn raiischt das Lied. 

Schoii winkt der Giitterwein 1 

Schenkt ein ! Schenkt ein ! 
Schon winkt der Giitterwein 1 
Schenkt ein I 

Altcs Trhik Lied. 



LITITZ. PENNA. 
1914 






Printed hy 

The Express Printmf] Co., Inv 

Lititz. Pa. 



0£C 3 1JI4 



Edition of Three Hundred 
Copies of which This is No. 




VON WATTEVILLE 

(WATWVL.) 



BROTHER ALBRECHT'S SECRET CHAMBER 




VON SCHWEINITZ 






%/at 



"llail, Leliigh, to wlio.sc vvoudy sluirt-s 
Moiiockesy his treasures pours. 

Thro' fertile meadows bro't : 
For when he writes tlie groves and strc 
Most fill the poet's airy dreams 

And most insi)ire his thoughts. 
Else, Bethlehem, had I pictured thee 
( Surrounding culture raised to see ) 

My muse's earliest care; 
Or told the customs and the rites 
Each brother boasts (as she indites) 

Or each religion's fair. 
From German lields the people came 
O'er stormy seas, with pious aim. 

Xor deemed the risk too much. 
Irish in troops the same have done, 
By bondage short their welfare won, 

Scotch, English. French and Dutch." 



John Penn. 



ZINZENDORF 

"Time sped liis wing. 
.\nd on the Lehigh's solitarx' banks 
The Missionary stood. O'er that smooth tide 
The pensive moon wrote out in pencil'd rays, 
The same dee]) language, which his boyhood read 
Upon the billowy Rhine. Mild evening's breeze, 
Stirring the interlacing of the elms, 
And the slight reeds that fring'd the river's brink, 

Pour'd the same soul-dissolving sigh, that swept 

His own Lusatian forests. 

Serene he mused. * * * now toiled 



As a colonial sire, and thoughtful plann'd 

'.Mid shelter'd vallics and aspiring liills, 
Fit refuge for his brethren. Hence arose 
h'air P.ethlclieni. with all its pure retreats 
-And peaceful hearths ; and still its classic dome, 
Where Education with the plastic mind 
Of childhood, mingleth holiest elements, 
Doth \ener;ite his name." 

I.V1)I.\ H. Sir.Ol'RNEY. 



INTRODUCTORY NOTE 



BROTHER ALBRECHT'S SECRET CHAMBER 



Tlie writer in tlie following pages, has 
endeavored to give definite form, life 
and color to an ancient tradition concern- 
ing the famous old Moravian Sun Inn, 
that has drifted down the stream of 
time since the perilous days of Indian 
wars, and the years of stress in the 
Revolutionary period ; a huilding in 
which were enacted matiy thrilling and 
impressive events full of moment to the 
young American Republic. 

The stranger who seeks the shelter of 
its massive walls soon comes into a 
knowledge of the old abandoned sub- 
terranean passageway that leads from the 
great crypt in the basement to some long 
forgotten outlet. Many a fine theory has 
been spun to account for its existence in 
the cool (ileasant atmosphere of the 
vault by the visitor as he contemplates 
the narrow entrance from one of the 
comfortable inviting corners on a hoi 
summer day or evening, but like the 
bouquet of the fragrant wine he is sii)- 
l>ing it lingers only as a pleasant in- 
tangible fancy which soon passes awav. 

The writer has accepted the legencl of 
a secret tunnel as an actual fact, and 
evolved, with perhaps indifterent suc- 
cess, a not impossible historic background 
for it. using the license freely granted to 
romancers. Tlie characters that play 
their part in it are. with possibly two 



exceptions, actual personages who were 
at one time guests of the Inn, and closely 
associated with its fortunes ; characters 
who would have given the greatest fame 
and distinction to any of the great his- 
toric old-world buildings had they been 
as here, actors in the mighty drama of a 
new-born nation. 

An inn that can number among its 
honored guests such men as Washington. 
Franklin, Lafayette, Greene, Steuben, 
Hancock, Pulaski, and a host of others 
of like undying fame, enjoys a distinc- 
tion unique, unrivalled in the annals of 
American taverns, and is worthy of all 
the art that may be bestowed upon the 
telling of its history by any of the great 
masters of romance. 

The ample foot-notes, the writer trusts 
ma)' prove interesting as historic glean- 
ings to the reader, throwing light as they 
do on the epoch and region in which the 
story is laid. 

The writer also asks for the gentle, 
considerate judgment of the reader, 
and. moreover, ajiologizes to the genial 
landlord of the Sun Inn for the liberties 
he has taken with him dTiring the explor- 
ations of the secret tunnel. The situa- 
tions he created for him were essential 
to the proper movement and logical end- 
ing of the legend for without his 
presence and adventures the story could 
not have been told as it is given. 




JOHN C. MOKGAN 



Brother Albrecht's Secret Chamber 

CHAPTER I 




ONXER wetter!" ex- 
claimed the astonished 
landlord, Colonel John 
Clarence Morgan. The 
occasion of this sudden 
outburst of profanity, for 
which there was ample 
reason, and for which 
transgression we feel sure the reader 
will grant him absolution is given 
later on. 

Mine host. Colonel Morgan, land- 
lord of the ancient "Sun Inn", most fa- 
mous of American taverns, located in 
the beautiful old ^Moravian town of 
Bethlehem on the Lehigh, is a happy 
compound of the traditional boniface, 
antiquarian and politician, for besides 
dispensing the hospitality of the his- 
toric hostelry to wandering wayfarers 
he occupies the dignified position of a 



city father in the making of laws for 
the governance of his fellow citizens. 
He is, moreover, a handsome, vigor- 
ous amalgam of pioneer Welsh blood, 
as his patronymic indicates, with the 
proverbial Welsh pedigree reaching 
back to the siege of Troy or there- 
abouts, and good old German stock 
from the Valley of the Rhine, where 
his maternal ancestors came from 
nearly two hundred years ago; a blend 
of Celt and Teuton that is producing 
one of the finest types of the Ameri- 
can race today. 

Colonel Morgan could not well hehi 
becoming an antiquarian and local 
historian of Colonial and Revolution- 
ary days, even were he not endowed 
with a natviral love of things reminis- 
cent of the olden time. The whilom 
guest of the old Moravian Inn, how- 




H" TUANOr 



nROTKLR ALHRHCHT'S SECRET CHAMBER 



ever brief his stay, inevitably suc- 
cumbs to the spell that permeates 
every nook and cranny of the great 
stone buil(Iin<^ — "cm fcsic hnri/,' ' as 
well as an inn. He cannot help drink 
in the atmosphere of romance that 
envelops the ancient streets and tlic 
quiet sequestered spaces, veritable 
havens of tranc|uillity. with their grav 
stone communal buildings, erected by 
pious hands long since folded in eter- 
nal rest, hands that trulv "wrought in 



formed striking contrasts with the 
prevailing types that obtained in the 
Enghsh settlements during Colonial 
days. 

riow complete must be, therefore, 
the surrender to the influences of the 
place, of a sympathetic landlord in 
constant association with the eloquent 
reminders of the stirring days in 
which the mighty foundations of the 
inn were laid, and its roof-tree raised 
in the dark shadows of the unbroken 




BKTHLKHKM IN I784 



a sad sincerity"', in their earnest en- 
deavor to realize the noble ideals of 
their consecrated li\-es. The stranger 
never fails to be impressed with the 
quaintness and picturescpie cpiality 
of the architecture of these old build- 
ings and the air of med-aeval clays 
that clings to their ivy-clad walls. 
They were reproductions from the 
Brethren's old Germanic homes, and 



'■"When the Inn wiis built the immei'se stmie bnse- 
ments were constructed as the casements of a for- 
tress and an inspection fully satisfies one. that they 
were complete protection against the best artillerv of 
:llat day. There were port holes for the euns and 
tradition tells us of secret outlets and grated dun- 
L-e us.-— r/if Old M„r ri, „ Sim /;.,., /.// /,'.•,■. Wil 
iiinii t. Reirhel, p. 44. 



wilderness; through whose wide halls 
and spacious chambers swept a 
splendid pageantry of illustrious men 
and women of many races : builders of 
Commonwealths and founders of a 
puissant Nation ; patriots and foemen, 
conquerors and captives; the dusky 
Sachems of a race already touched 
with the virus of decay; the gentle but 
forceful members of the i'liitas Fra- 
tni-n- — the devoted lirotherhood, who, 
in the New World, rescued from de- 
struction an ancient .^iiostolic Church 
by i)lanting it anew in freedom's blessed 

■-«ee Bishop Leveriiui's Hislnri/ of Bethlehem, pp. 



BROTHER ALBRHCHT'S SECRET CH.\MB::K 



soil; the proud, brave yeunianry that 
were transforming vast areas of wilder- 
ness into the happy abodes of men, lar 
from the wretched tiennan lands that 
gave tliern and their forefathers birth: 
forever quit of the tyranny and injustice 
of i^etty princelings, the despotic rulers 
iif the fragments of a shattered empire': 
>ecure from the famine and pestilence 
that followed in the wake of the wars of 
foreign despots', drunk with the lust of 
jxiwer: forever (|uit of the horrors of 
religious wars' and their fearful after- 
math. 



"Tlie integrity of the German Empire was de- 
stroyed before the close of the "Thirty Years' War" 
and thereafter existed only as a loose confederation. 
"At the breaking out of the French Revolution there 
were 300 free imperial princes and counts and sev- 
eral thousand immediate barons * * who exercised 
almost absolute authority on their petty estatos. 
lording it over their little patches of lands and hand- 
fuls of hauers." — BaringOould's Germany, Prenent 
and Pr.st. pp. 21-2. 

* "Unfortunately for the peace of the whole conti- 
nent the aggressions of I.,ouis XIV in the West which 
definitely began in 1672 coincided with the attempts 
of the Turks to dominate Eastern Europe. In IfiTO 
Louis had been resolved to win eventually' the Im- 
perial Crown, to secure part of the .Spanish posses- 
sions and to conquer the United Netherlands." — lie 
also invaded the Palatiniite and added Alsace to his 
dominions, but since reconquered by Germany in the 
Franco-Prussian War of 1870. "Wishing to con- 
centrate his chief ettorts upon Roussillon. Ital; and 
the Lower Rhine, Lnuis decided t ev;ieu ■!» ;h ■ 
Palatinate; and b> the advice of Louvois. orders 
were given in December 1688 to devastate the coun- 
trv. The Rhine district was in great measure 
ruined." See The Age of LoiiU Xir by Prof A. 
.1. Grant in the Cnmhridge Modern History, pp. 41. 
.58. 

'• Hut the political losses and gains which the Peace 
of We.stphalia entailed upon the Empire and its 
Princes sink alike into insignificance, and even the 
undeniable advance towards religious freedom 
marked by the adoption in that Peace of the princi- 
ple of equality between the recognized religious con 
fessions is obscured, when we turn to consider the 
general effects of the war now ended upon Germany 
and the German nation. These elTects, either mate- 
rial or moral cannot be more than fainti • indicatd: 
but together they furni.sh perhaps the most appalling 
demonstration of the consequences of war to be 
found in history. The mighty impulses which the 
great movements of the Renaissance and the Refor- 
mation had imparted to the aspirations and efforts 
of contemporary German life, were quenched in the 
century of religious conflict which ended with the 
e.\hausting struggle of the Thirty Years' War: the 
main spring of the national life was broken, and to 
all seeming broken forever." — "It was a religious 
war in which even the most highminded of those who 
took part in it could not so much as pretend 
to be guided solely by the inspiration of religious 
enthusiasm, while the deadliest promptings of reli- 
gious hatred were designedly fostered and the whole 
savagery of religious fanaticism was deliberatelv let 
loose upon its prey." * * "During the concluding 
years of the War no other German land underwent 
more terrible sufferings than Bavaria, where espec 
iaily in its eastern part — famine and desolation 
stalked unchecked. Franconia and Swabia, too, 
were made desolate by the ravages of war, famine 
and diiiea«e.'—The Thirty Years' War. Prof. A. 



Not SO long ago, while burrowing 
among the discarded accumulations of 
livgone generations stored in a long for- 
gotten limbo, accidentally di.scovered in 
an unfrequented part of the inn. our land- 
lord found an old oak chest bearing the 
Zinzendorf armorials, beautifully carved 
in the ancient ("lOthic manner, a tine 
example of the Mediaeval wood-carvers" 
art. which once adorned the great hall of 
the ancestral Schloss of Count Zinzen- 
dorf. at Bertholsdorf. in Saxony, a fact 
disclosed from the perusal of family 
papers found therein. It was brought to 
America, with other precious heirloi.ims 
to furnish the stone manor house. 




ZINZE.NUOKl-' 0.-\K CHtsT 

erected for the Count, at Nazareth, in 
1755-r). now known as Nazareth Hall, 
the famous Moravian Military School 
for bovs. It was a great discovery, and 
was the beginning of a long series of 
thrilling adventures in which Colonel 
r^Iorgan was destined to jjlay a most 
important part. 

The chest was tilled with relics of the 
olden time : quaint garments, vestments, 
portraits, silver cups and a tea service, 
the handiwork of Cellini : also a sjjlendid 
collection of ancient, illuminated manu- 
scripts such as Alissals. Ciospels. Rooks 
of Hours. Latin and Creek classics, the 
splendid productions of the Monastic 
Scrif^toriiims. and rare Incunabula from 
the presses of the tirst printers, a collec- 
tion the sight of which would have 
tempted a Mazarin or a I'runct, !■ break 

W. Ward's Chapter on The Peace of Westphalia. 
Cambridge Modern Hisfor}/. pp. 417.33. See also 
Oindely's Thirty Years' IT. r. 



BROTHER ALBRECIIT'S ShXKKT CHAMBER 



If^LT- 




nOOK OI- PKAYEES IN FIFTEENTH CENTUKY 
BINDING 

•T even pawn the Decalogue if necessary 
to obtain possession of it ; or roj of 
sleep our own Pennvpacker had he hut 
suspected its existence. The sight of it 
would have been enough to wreck a 
saint's vow of povertv had he been a 
Bibliophile as well and the desire for 
possession strong upon him. Here was 
a copy of the Biblici Paiif^rrnii, the 
famous blr.ck letter book, not a leaf 
missing: the Psalter of Faust and 
Schoffer. printed at Mentz in 1457, ,,ne 
of the tirst dated books in existence; a 
wonderfully well preserved copv of the 
Bamberg Bible of Pfister. long' thought 
to be the first printed book, older than 
the famous Mazarin Bible; a unique 
copy of Virgil from the press of Aldus, 
1501, the first book ever printed in 
Italics : a priceless copy of Theocritus in 
the original Greek from the same hands : 
the Naples edition of Horace of 1474 
called by Dibdin, the ■'rarest classical 
\-olume in the world." Here, too, cheek 
b\- jowl, was a copy of the first edition 
I if Lucretius of which onlv two copies 
had hitherto been known to have been 
in existence: also a superb copv of J'irgiJ 
1636, from tlie press of the Elzevirs'; a 



miniature copy of Clement Marofs 
metrical version of Lcs Psaunies de 
Ihirid. a precious po.ssession of the 
Huguenots of France in the davs of per- 
secution before and after the revocation 
"f the luiict of Nantes. Here were also 
beautiful editions of the classics from 
the Estienne press of Paris, and a re- 
markable copy of the celebrated Bohe- 
mian Bible of Kralitz. 

All this treasure bore ample testimon}- 
to the rare scholastic taste and artistic 
nature of Count Zinzendorf, who took 
such pains to have these ijrecious outputs 
of the ancient monasteries and primitive 
presses brought, as he fondly imagined, 
to his new home in the American wilds' 
ihe devout churchman, the solicitous 
bishop of a Church, struggling for con- 
tinued existence is shown also in the 
carefully preserved copies of the Ratio 
Disciflinae Ordinisque in Unitate Fra- 
trum and the Historia Persecutwnum 
Ecclesiae Bohemicae written by Johann 
Amos Comenius, the last Bishop of the 
-Moravian line in Bohemia, for the pur- 
pose of securing against utter destruc- 
tion, and unforeseen dangers the doc- 
trines and discipline of this ancient, 
jiersecuted Church. The wise, brave old 
bishop had also taken good care to secure 
against extinction the Apostolic Succes- 
sion handed down through the ^Valden- 
sian line. These two books therefore to 
a faithful Moravian were indeed ""the 
precious life blood of a master spirit," 
and were worthv of all the care be- 
stowed upon them. 

Snugly ensconced in the midst of 
this wonderful collection, Colonel 
Morgan also found one of the old ac- 
count books of the "Sun Inn", a stow- 
away seemingly anxious to get into 
good company, in which was recorded 
an inventory" of its equipment as it 
appeared in the month of May, 1762, 
and among the items that were of 



»''Maiiy a man lives a burden to the earth ; but a 
good Booke is the pretious life-blood of a master 
><mnt. .mbalmd and treasui-d up on purpose to a 
Me beuond life. —Milton's Prose Works, Pickering 
Edition, 1851, Vol. IV, p. 400. 

■T/,. O;,; .Vornvi,,,, .Sun Irn,. I,,, R,r. Willian, C. 
Reicliel. p. 11. 



r.R')TllI-R AI.l'.RI-CIIT-S SECRET CHAMBER 



t I'tjnnmttmfl'ataitciiwucimf . 
TiL&A^H^notu) ao aimirm 
-JL. ■I^Sflljiocntmqinimftaif 
I munm«nnmmiii. 
wn'- igimirCommc 
'*■'• lOg ^mc vcmco 
nomCtxOnxG' onfttnmm 
t»)mi!ioquomrtmtoiui& •, 
^uomamitifcailumnutm 
(ojoiamie- coiiftiTio- 
l^sfjonfttco! Deo rtU (tbaitc 

tuumsaudft iiootsptiraqa 
tgo uufapcmiroi pcamu nuiu] 
(DumucgmitamacogiwttoiU 
icainoHc coiifaifti iimamtt) [ 
mmtrftopc-mca aUuimc. 



vT 






..vT 



f\1^ 



:.4.:t 



rS.^ 



^iiil 







^T:»*^ 



ILLUMINATED VELLUM MANUfCPIPT, FIFTEENTH CENTURY 



soecial interest to him as an innkeeper 
were the following : 

"20 gallons of Madeira, 10 gallons of 
Teneriffe, 2 quarter casks of White 
Lisbon, 109 gallons of Philadelphia rtim, 
8 gallons of Shrub, 40 gallons of Cider 
Roval, 4 hogsheads of Cider and one 
barrel of home-brewed beer from Chris- 
tian's Rrunn* on the Barony;" surely 
incontestable evidence of good cheer, 
all snugly stored in the cool vaults of 
the great cellars, now become a favor- 
ite Raths-Kcller^ on hot summer davs 



""A famous spring nn the ancient farm at Xaza- 
reth near the WTxitefield House, named in honor of 
Zinzendorf's son Christian Renatus." — Bishop Lev- 
erinff's Hintnru of Bethlehem, p. 190. 

"An underground Council Chamber. "The Cham- 
ber has had only trifling alterations made from its 
condition when it came from the hands of the mas- 
ter mason, nearly a century and a half ago. It is 
twenty-two feet long, fourteen feet wide and ten and 
onehalf feet to the center of the arch. The spacious 
entrance to it from the other casements is the same 
as originally constructed. .Tust outside of this en- 



and nights for oratorical local states- 
men and captains of industry. He 
discovered also an enthusiastic pas- 
sage regarding the inn recorded in a 
diary of a Lieutenant Anburey, a Bri- 
tish officer, who spent some days as a 
prisoner of war within its sheltering 
walls in the autumn of 1778. 

"You may be sure," said the I^ieu- 
tcnant. who is revealed in his book as of 
a thoughtful, kindly nature,'" "our sur- 



trance is the great iron gate which leads into the 
dungeon, and inside the chamber are the portholes 
which furnish a trifle of light. In one corner is 
the passageway cut through solid rock, leading to 
an outlet." — The Old iforarian Svn /iiii. 6j/ Rer. 
William C. Reiehel. 

'""I could not but reflect, it content was in this 
life, they enjoy it, far from the hustle of a trouble- 
some world, living in perfect liberty, each one pur- 
suing his own ideas and inclination, and residing in 
the most delightful situation imaginable, which is so 
healthy, that they are subject to few. if any diseases. 
♦ « *' • As want is a stranger, so is vice, * * They 
possess what many are entire strangers to, who sur- 
rounded with what are termed blessings, those true 



IS 



BROTHER ALBRECHT'S SECRET CHAMBER 



prise was not a little after having been 
accustomed to such miserable tare at 
other ordinaries, to see a larder displayed 
with plenty of fish, fowl and game. 
Another matter of surprise, as we have 
not met with the like m all our travels, 
was excellent wines of all sorts, which 
to us was a most delicious treat, not 
having tasted any since we left Boston, 
for notwithstandmg the splendor and 
elegance of several families we visited in 
X'irginia. wine was a stranger to their 
tables. For every apartment a servant 
is appointed to attend, whose whole duty 
it is to wait on the company belonging 
to it, and who is as much your servant 
during your stay as one of your own 
domestics. The accommodations for 
horses is equal. In short, in planning 
this tavern they seem solely to have 
.studied the ease, comfort and conveni- 
ence of the travelers ; and it is built upon 
such an extensive scale that it can readily 
accommodate one hundred and sixty 
persons."'' 

Colonel Morgan gave an impatient 
grunt as he exclaimed in the patois of 
the Lehigh Valley: 

■'Now, ivas dcr dcihcnkcr did the 
blithering redcoat expect from a Mora- 
vian landlord? Didn't he know that the 
children of the Rhine brought a whole- 
some love of good eating, and an expert 
knowledge of wines, along with them 
when they came to Pennsylvania, and so 
help me, their descendants haven't lost 
their inherited appetites since, or the 
knack of getting up square meals— no ! 
nor has a Pennsylvania German landlord 
forgotten the old fashioned courtesy and 
hospitality due to a guest. Your New 
Englanders and X'irginians were not in 
the same class with the Pennsylvania 
(lermans when it came to good living, 
and a lot of other things too. Bethlehem 
had the first water works in Pennsyl- 



iind essential ones — liealtli and trani|Uillitv of mind; 
and that -vou may ever enjoy tliem, thougli no Mora- 
vian, in "a higli degree is tlie sincere wish of 
yours, etc." — E.xtract from Oljservations on the Mo- 
ravians in a letter to a friend by Thomas Anburey, 
dated Sept. 2. 1781 in his "TrnreU Through the In- 
terior Parts of Amn-ica. Vol. II, p. 518. 

"Travels through thr Interior /larts nf Ainerien. 
liv an officer (Thom.as .\nburey) L,.nd„n 1789, ^ .d. 
II, pp. 509-11. 



vania'-, and the first fire engine in 
A.nerica for instance, as well as the first 
Female Seminary." 

And more of the same sort in praise 
of the old inn came to the attention of 
the Colonel, now become thoroughly 
absorbed in the reading, but perhaps 
nothing interested him quite as much 
as the following flattering passage 
from the pen of the Marquis de Chas- 
tellux, a major-general in the army of 
the Count de Rochambeau in his 
^'Voyages dans rAmeriqitc Scptcntri- 
onale" a fine clean copy of which bound 
in tree calf he found in this amazing 
library. 

"We had no difiiculty," wrote the 
Marquis, "in finding the tavern for it is 
precisely at the entrance of the town. 
The house was built at the expense of 
the Society of Moravian Brethren to 
whi^m it formerly served as a Magazine, 
and is very handsome and spacious. The 
person who keeps it is only a cashier, 
and is obliged to render an account to 
the administrators." 

In a foot note to this passage the 
translator'^• George Grieve, an Eng- 
lish gentleman, who resided in Amer- 
ica at that period, makes this interesting 
comment : 

"This inn from its external appear- 
ance, and its interior accommodations is 
not inferior U< the liest of the large inns 
in England, which, indeed, it very much 
resembles in every respect. The first 
time I was at Bethlehem we remained 
there two or three days, and were con- 
stantlv supplied with venison, moor 
game, the most delicious red and yellow 
bellied trout, the highest flavored wild 
strawberries, the most luxuriant aspara- 
gus, and the best vegetables, in short, I 
ever saw : and notwithstanding the diffi- 
culty of procuring good wines and spirits 
at that period throughout, the Continent 
we were regaled with wine and brandy 



Ui.1t,, 



„f Bethlehe 



pp. 



'-'.See Bi.ihui, Le, 
288-400. 

^^TrareU in North America, in the years 1780. 
1781 and 1782, by the Marquis de Chastellux, one 
of the forty members of the French Academy, and 
Maior-General in the French Army, serving under 
the Count de Rochambeau." Translated from the 
French, London, 1787. 




1763-1816 



THE SUN INN 

Built 1758-60 



1816-1S5I 



BROTHER ALBRECHT'S SECRET CHAMBER 



of the best quality ano exquisite old Port 
and ^ladeu-a. 

"Xow, that reads well;'' commented 
the Colonel, "'this Englishman was 
evidently an honest-minded chap, and 
had, too, a delicate taste as well as a 
trained appetite, and, moreover, ap- 
preciated good fare whenever he 
-found it. However after his confessed 
experience elsewhere he would be an 
ungrateful, cold-blooded cuss not to 
praise fare like this. Think of it! no 
refrigerated commissary here ! Every- 
thing just as the Almighty made it. 
What! Deer shot within a hundred 
yards of your own dining-room, 
grouse and quail from your own mea- 
dows, live trout from the IMonocasy 
every morning, and fresh shad'^ daily 
from the Lehigh when in "running," 
with strawberries'^ growing wild close 
at hand, to say nothing of bear 
lueat'", and all he had to pay was six 
pence for breakfast, a shilling'' for 
dinner, and six pence for supper, with 
a glass of good rum thrown in, and the 
best wine for only a shilling a pint ! 
and I guess our Pennsylvania German 
great-granddaddies knew a thing or 
two about good wines. A thousand 
years among the vineyards of the 
Rhine Palatinate ought to tell on a 
race ! .A regular W'aldorf-Stratford 
bill of fare for half a dollar a day ! I'd 
like to see Mr. Grieve wake up some 
fine day. and order the same lay-out at 
one of George Boldt's palatial taverns, 
and watch his blooming countenance 
when his lordship, the waiter, pre- 



""Before the erection of win^-dams, walls, and 
flood-gates in tlie river, * * « * the Lehigh was a 
resort of the shad, which in the spring season found 
their way from the ocean far up into its fresh 
waters, there to deposit their spawn. The shad fisher- 
ies were followed annually until the earlv part of 
this '19th) century. — May 18. 1783. 900 shad were 
caught at Bethlehem by "the Brethren." — IJistory of 
the Mnrarinv Semintyrii by Key. William ('. Re'ichel 
— See foot notes, pages 111-2. 

'="After two o'clock the inhabitants of the house 
great and small, went to a plantation oyer the Le- 
high about two miles from Bethlehem, to pick straw- 
berries.'* Extract from the JonrnnJ of Daily Events. 
kept by the voung pupils of the Moravian Seminary, 
.Tune 20. 1789. 



an Sun Inn" by Rcy. Wil- 



sented his little check. He'd be so 

grieve-d at sight of it that he would 
want to hurry back to where he came 
from without delay. Half a dollar a 
day! Thunder! It wouldn't pay the 
tip for a luncheon in Hellertown !" 

The most interesting find of all, as 
well as the most momentous moreover, 
was discovered in a curious old Ger- 
man manuscript journal, bound in 
pigskin, and fastened with a quaintly^ 
embossed silver clasp, with the ini- 

3. A. A. 

tials engraved thereon. 

17B7 
On page 187, appeared this entry, 
which translated reads thus : 

"I, Johan Andreas Albrecht, have this 
da}-, the seventeenth of May, 1768, stored 
in one of the chambers midway in th*" 
secret tunnel that leads from the cellar 
of the inn to the thicket on the banks of 
the Monnckasy the following belongings 
of the Ijrethren, — inasmuch as there is 
information brought from beyond the 
Blue ^fountains of bands of Iroquois 
Indians on a warlike and marauding 
expedition. This is done for the sake of 
insuring their safety, and in case of need, 
should our peaceful community be so 
unhappy as to have the savages assault 
it : Two barrels of Madeira, three casks 
of TenerilTe, one cask Canary, one half 
cask of White Lisl'on, ninety-eight gal- 
lons of West India Rum, a quarter cask 
of .Shrub, one barrel of Cider Royal, four 
barrels of Fieer from Christian's Erunn, 
and one hundred and twenty bottles 
containing various wines and liquors, 
besides one barrel of bear meat, forty 
smoked hams, twenty haunches of tlried 
venison, two barrels of salted shad, and 
one barrel of smoked pigeons."*" 
In a postscript this also appeared : 
"There is likewise concealed in the 
hidden vault of the chamber, the place 



''^"The wild pigeon (Columbri tniffratoria) is ol an 
ash grev color. In Spring they take their passage 
to the North and in Autumn return to the South. 
In some years they tiock together in such numbers, 
that the air is darkened by their flight. Wherever 
thev alight they make as much havock among the 
trees and garden fruits as the locusts * * * Their 
tlesh has a good taste and is eaten by the Indians 
either fresh, smoked or dried." — Loskiel's Sistori/ of 
the 3/i.Mioii nf the Vniled Brethren Among the 
/„,;,■„,» „i v,,,;;, America, pp. 92-3. 




ARMORIAL BEARINGS OF COUNT ZINZENDORF 



BROTH I'.R AIJlRECHT'S SECRET ClIAMIU-R 



thereof known only to the llishop. th^ 
Schatzmeisler and myselt, the Ureth- 
ren's strong iron box containing £317^ 
in gold, Englisli money, with J 150 silver 
Hi.nns Irom Germany.'" 

The reading of this greatly aston- 
ished Colonel Morgan, for here at last, 
was confirmation of the truth of an 
old tradition, that had been handed 
down from generation to generation, 
that there existed a secret passage''"' 
irnm the inn to a refuge of safety 
somewhere in the impenetrable forest 
gro\vth that lined the hanks of the 
Monocasy' in ancient days. The 
ihoiight that it was reserved for him, 
John Morgan, to discover this old 
subterranean passageway, and per- 
haps in the secret chamber described 
by Albrecht, the innkeeper, find some, 
if not all of the precious vintages, and 
brews, with the gold and silver, now 
surely become treasure-trove, stored 
away in that far of¥ time for safety 
gave him such a thrill he hadn't ex- 
perienced the like of in many a day, 
not since the summer evening he 
kissed his first sweetheart down in the 
Saucon \'alley. 

\\'ith such possibilties staring him 
in the face, you may be assured that 
the mysterious gallery leading from 
the Rathskeller, which had always 
been a profound problem to the pa- 
trons of the inn, was to be explored 
forthwith, and the next day the 
Colonel, with an air of great iiniort- 
ance and mystery about him, disap- 
peared along with a pick, shovel and 
crowbar, and was not seen again by 
his friends until several days had passed. 
Mis good wife and boy found it difficult 
to recognize him as late each nis,dit he 
sneaked softly up the stairway from ihe 
vaults looking like a gigantic mole, be- 
grimed and covered with dust, fie 
succeeded however late one afternoon, 
after strenuous labor amid great clouds 
of dust, with sorelv blistered hands in 
breaking through a large body of earth 




COUNT ZINZEXDUKF 

that had been tightly packed in an in- 
genious turn <if the tunnel, made at 
an acute angle, closing it eftectually, 
and giving it the appearance of a natural 
barrier, at a distance of about fifty feet 
from the entrance to the I\ath.s-keller. 
The tunnel was evidently planned by 
someone who had intimate knowledge of 
and experience in military matters, for 
an enemy could be held at bay with the 
greatest ease from the vantage secured 
i)v the peculiar plan followed in its con- 
struction. At a distance of about forty 
feet from the point of the angle, the 
tunnel here assuming a laliyrinthian 
character, was constructed a miniature 
fortress and armory. Leaning against 
the wall of the armory behind a stone 
ledge from which an advancing enemy 
could be fired on were a dozen or more 
old rifles of the famous -"Henry make, 
several blunderbusses and half a dozen 
heavy sabres. The tunnel was so re- 
cessed at this point that a relay of men 
could be loading rifles while their coni- 
l)anions were fighting the invaders. It 



«Thf Old Mnrnr 



Reichel, 



■William Hem-y of Lam'iis 
: r'.'lebrated gunm.nker of 
nring in American nistory. 



I'.ROTHER ALRRECIIT'S SECRET CHAMBER 



took time to load the old flint lock rifles 
and muskets, and an alert, enterprising 
enemy might rush the defenders if un- 
prepared. He found at a few feet to the 
left of this firing ledge a doorway lead- 
ing to a steep flight of steps, roughly 
hewn out of the rock from the foot of 
which ran a long unobstructed passage- 
way at a sharp incline towards the 
Monocasy, and in a southerly direction. 
At a distance of al)ijut a hundred feet 



the passage widened suddenly, on either 
side of which at that point he saw two 
stout oaken doors swung on enormous 
iron hinges, which, after a vigorous 
assault with a crowbar, he succeeded in 
opening, disclosing two large irregular 
shaped chambers formed by nature in 
the limestone rock — the two halves of 
what was once in a remote geological 
age, a great single cave, but which in the 
course of time was curioush- divided bv 




k.ATHS-KELLAR, 



13 C 



Scale : i-ro inch tr 
PL.\N" or LABYRINTHIAN TUNNEL 



A. Entrance to Tunnel 

B. Olistructinn of Clay 

C. Tunnel 

D. Earth and Broken Stone 

E. Tunnel 



F. Stone Firing Ledge 

G. AriTiory 
H. Doorway 
I. Stone Stairway 
J. Tinincl Way to Cave 



TiRoTlIER ALBRKCIIT'S SECRET CHAMP.ER 



llic fonnation of a stalagmite wall, 
which the builders of the tunnel dis- 
covered so many generations ago. ']'he 
roofs and sides were composed of a 
dazzling white sulphate of lime with 
stalactites in an endless variety of form, 
size and color, all translucent, and when 
lighted up producing a most brilliant and 
beautiful effect, as if encrusted with 
niagnihcent rubies, emeralds and dia- 
monds. Xo ma.sonry could compare with 
the walls in strength or beauty. TIk' 
Hi;nrs of the oiiainbei'^ were e\en .iiid 




BROTHKk .M.IikKCHI S bKCKKT CH.AMBER 

hard, a kind of concrete, evidently con- 
structed by the master builders of the 
llrethren. Dis]josed in an orderly fash- 
ion Colonel Morgan beheld to his great 
astonishment in a cha])el-like recess of 
oiiL> of the chamljcrs, a score or more of 
barrels antl casks, all stoutly bound with 
iron hoo]5S, apparently containing wines 
and liquors as the lettering burnt into 
them indicated, with a great number of 
bottles tilled with some kind of unknown 
lic|uor, the labels having disappeared 
generations ago. 



"Doniicr wetter." exclaimed the 
Colonel, greatly excited, "This find 
beats the Rheingold !" Like every 
Kethlehemite our landlord was a lover 
of good music, as well as a clever 
classical scholar, and he instinctively 
thought of the Nibelungen hoard-' in 
Wagner's immortal composition. He 
had moreover a thorough appreciation 
of rare old wines. He cried out with 
great enthusiasm : 

"Every drop in those barrels and 
bottles is worth its weight in gold ; there 
is nothing like it in America, perhaps in 
the world! One hundred and forty-two 
years ! How much older the I-ord only 
knows ! Noiv zvill ich geiviss verdammt 
sci! Ach, but it will be a fine throat that 
makes the acquaintance of the least of 
this precious stuff. Only the elect, and 
I think I'll do the electing, w^ill get a 
taste of it, beginning 'right away quick." 
as Sam Druckamiller would say, with 
your humble servant, John Morgan, 
landlord of the "Sun Inn" successor and 
heir to wise old Brother Albrecht, just 
now of blessed memory." 

As the Colonel came prepared for 
any emergency he had no difficulty 
with the aid of a bung starter, and 
accessories in gaining access to the 
contents of the barrels. The ubiqui- 
tous corkscrew, which every citizen of 
the Lehie^h Valley is said to carry 
along with his jack-knife, a wicked 
slander no doubt, spread by some jeal- 
ous, unregenerate outlander, presently 
enabled him also to determine the 
character of what the bottles con- 
tained. Slowly making the circuit of 
the ca\'C — which in time of danger 
might ha\e served as a sanctuary, now 
lighted by- an old swinging iron lamp, 
a relic of the pioneer days of the 
Brotherhood, which the Colonel found 
almost filled with oil. and speedilv 



-'"A m^-tliical nm.ss of £old and precious stones, 
which Sieerfred (Sepe-freed). prince of the Nether- 
lands, took from Nibelungentnnd and gave to his 
wife as a dowrv. The hoard filled thirty-six wagons. 
After the murder of Siesfried. Hasan seized the 
hoard, and for concealment sank it in tlio 'Rhine at 
Lnckhara.' intending to recover it at a future period. 
hut Haean was assassinated and the hoard was lost 
forever." — Nibehaiffen Lied, XIX. 



24 



BROTHER ALBRECHT'S SECRET CHAMBER 



utilized — and critically surveying the 
formidable array of barrels and casks 
he exclaimed with sudden energy: 

"They say that the proof of the 
pudding is in the eating," and by the same 
token if I am to arrive at a knowledge 
of the wines and liquors which Brother 
A'.brecht undoubtedly bequeathed to me, 
I readily see that there will be some mul- 
titudinous drinking going on here, and 
I may as well start in at once, for as 
Macbeth remarked, when he put up that 
horrible job on poor old Duncan--, "if it 
were dene, when 'tis done, then 'twere 
well it were done quickh'.' So here goes 
fur this barrel of old Madeira !" 

Tapping it gently, almost affection- 
ately, he soon found his way to its im- 
prisoned sunshine and cheer, and fill- 
ing a wineglass he held it to the light, 
watching anrl admiring its rich color 
as he passed it to and fro ; then inhal- 
ing its aroma in the most approved 
fashion of the connoisseur, as if it 
were the fragrance of some rare and 
delicate flower; and also inclining his 
ear as if listening to some song or 
message from the vineyards that gave 
it birth on some fair Aladeiran hill- 
side. Like a true lover of good wine, 
he abhorred haste in its drinking. He 
would not drown its flavor, in a mur- 
derous, vulgar gulp, in the manner of 
a boisterous swashbuckler swallowing 
stale beer. He would as lief swallow 
a cup of weak Rio cofTee in a Bowery 
restaurant. On the contrary he 
touched almost imperceptibly the 
brimming glass with his lips. Clos- 
ing his eyes softly, and moving his 
lips, ever so gently, he seemed to have 
fallen into a deep revery from \vhich 
he quickly awoke to take a sip with 
an expression that was almost ecsta- 
tic. Then another sip and another, 
and then a smack of the lips that 
soimded like the crack of a rifle, which 
volleyed and echoed in the cave like 
the firing of a platoon. Then came a 
discourse on wines that displayed a 
most remarkable acquaintance with 



the history and virtues of that much 
abused drnik of the Patriarchs,--' a 
talk that would have delighted Ana- 
creon-'' and Tom Aloore-^. 

"They call Madeira an old-fashioned 
wine, no longer cared for" ; he said, "let 
me tell you though that Sherry, the rival 
tliat fashion every now and then puts in 
its place can't hold a candle to it. 
Madeira possesses rare inalienable vir- 
tues, and will always come into its own 
again no matter what whims for a time 
may set it aside. Now, here is a gen- 
uine wine, rich in natural flavor and 
color ; no counterfeit almond concoction ; 
none of your muslin Madeira, but with a 
splendid body and mattired to perfection. 
Himmel! It didn't have to hurry to do 
that in all these long years. Old wine 
drinkers tell us that Madeira has not yet 
been drunk too old. I'll bet the old roan 
niare that this is the oldest vintage in 
the world today; a glass of it would 
almost raise the dead. So here's to 
Brother Albrecht ! most loyal of land- 
lords and m.ost faithfid of the Brethren. 
May his memory never grow cobweb':)ed 
in this good old Aloravian House of 
Entertainment." 

The neighbor to the ^Madeira was a 
cask of Malmsey that appealed 
strongly to our now- thoroughly ani- 
mated landlord. Going through 
much of the same ceremonious han- 
dling of the fine old wine that made 
his introduction to the 3,Iadeira so im- 
pressive he continued : 

"This old Malmsey has a bouquet like 
a ripe pineapple ; a sort of first cousin 
to Madeira, I should say. This is the 
wine the\' call Teneriflie, a New York 
/'()/( vivaut. named Peter Marie, once 
told me. .A.nd come to think of it one of 
the Lehigh University professors re- 



^Shakespfre'n Macbeth — Act I 



-'".\nd Melchizedfk King nf S.ilem hnniffht fm-fh 
liread and wine, and he was the priest nf the most 
high God." — f,V)if.«i.«. ISth chant"!-. 19th rem. 

"Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for 
thv stomach's sake and thine often infirmities. — / 
Timothy, 5th chapter, 23d verse. 

-'■■Today is mv business: wlio knows what tomor- 
row will bring forth ? While, therefore, it is fair 
weather, drink, play and offer libations to Bacchus." 
.\nacreon XV, 9. 
-•■■Press the grape, and let it p.ur 

.■Vround the board its purple shower." — Moftre'/t 
.Juvenile Poems, p. 63. 



r.RoTllHR ALBRKCIIT'S SKCRET CHAMBER 



iiiiiuk'd ine a year or so ago that Richard 
tlic liuiichback king of Knglancl, the chai) 
wild was afraid of his looking-glass, 
(irowned his nephew, a half name-sake 
(if mine, in a hogshead of this same old 
Malmsey. Now. that heats having a 
kmle put into \iiur 'innards,' or having 
vnur head cut ulf Ijefore breakfast, to 
which some less favored royal celebrities 
could testify. Now, if by some unhappy 
decree of fate I am to die by drowning, 
let it be by all means in a tank of 
.Malmsey, for this is beginning to make 
me feel mighty good, and that is what 
we all should be, good and happy, said 
my preacher last Stmday. What a grand 
missionary old Malmsey would make." 

"These barrels and casks are not as 
full as they once were, if old Albrecht 
told the truth in his inventory, but what 
has been lost in quantity I allow- has 
been more than made up in quality. ( )l(i 
Father Time has a habit of taking toll 
from wines and spirits. This is surely 
an enticing wine, and I guess I can 
hazard another glass ; so here's to the 
jolly good fellows, past and gone, who 
once passed the flowing bowl in this good 
old inn. Jch! if I only had them 
around me now. we would make a night 
of it." 

Coming to a curious bit of cooper- 
ate stamped "White Lisbon" he cried 
out : 

"Xcra'. -a'as drr tciifcl' \\'hite Lisbon? 
From the taste of it. il reminds me of 
Fort, and by cracky, that's just what it 
is! A white Fort made from wdiite 
grapes grown near Lisbon, and mighty 
good stulT it is, too. A bumper of it 
wouldn't hurt a baby! So here's to 
Facchus, the God of the \'ineyard, 
'that first from out the purple grajje 
crushed the sweet poison of misused 
wine.' I swiped that toast from a blind 
man.-" It's classical too. Lucky thing 
1 am alone, for people hearing me might 
tliink I was a Pagan, one of those cusses 
we used to read about, when I went to 
school at Nazareth Hall. They say they 
used to make Rome howd, wdien a thirst 
overtook them. Do vou know these old 



•^'Spo inUn„-« Cumun 



wines are the greatest thing in the world 
for a treacherous memory. My school- 
ing is all coming back to me. Fll be 
talking (ireek, the next thing you know. 
John Morgan, you old reprobate!" 

"And what have we here, in this dwarf 
of a cask with a Spanish name? ^L\.\'- 
ZANILLA. Himmcl! Fll be quite a lin- 
guist if drinking these foreign wines is 
a short cut to the mastery of their lan- 
guages. Fll be a fine polyglot, or per- 
ha])s something more extraordinary, if 
there is much more of this. Lord, what 
a School of Languages I could establish, 
if the only teachers were wineglasses, 
and the curriculum, these grand old 
wines. Lehigh L'niversity and Lafayette 
College wouldn't be in it with me; not 
for a minute. Fd make Doctors of Lan- 
guages in short order. This cave would 
make a great recitation room." 

Filling a glass, and sipping it gent- 
ly, and then executing a graceful />/7S 
seid that would have done credit to a 
West Point dancing master, he ex- 
claimed, 

"Caramba .' Fut this is delicious! — I 
should call this an absolutely perfect wine 
with surpassing delicacy and flavor, and 
drv as jjunk ! .And what a fine straw- 
color! Great thing for the stomach! 
Finest thing in all Spain ! Julius Caesar 
must have had this for a table wine when 
he was galavanting around the Spanish 
peninsula, .\nother glass of this, and Fll 
feel like charging windmills, like our old 
friend Don Quixote, or fighting Spanish 
bulls in our back yard, .\nother little 
ni]! can't hurt, and it's good, too. you 
know," winking both eyes, "for the 
languages. So here's to Sancho Panza. 
and the prancing Rosanante !" 

'Gaily the troubadour touched his guitar, 
As he was hastening home from the war.' " 

Colonel Morgan had arrived at that 
stage wdiere his exuberance of spirits 
began to find expression in song and 
poetry, with a decided inclination of 
his feet to shufifle accompaniments. 

"Great Scott ! But there's something 
exhilarating about these sjiirits come to 
life again. .\o, hang it, I mean come to 



j6 



BROTHER ALBRECHT'S SECRET CHAMBER 



light again. I don't mean spooks, John 
^lorgan, though I am beginning to see 
strange, odd looking things that make 
faces at you, and to hear queer noises. 
You can't tell what unearthly things 
moved into these caves and tunnels dur- 
ing the last one hundred and forty years 
and living here rent free ever since; but 
I am going to see this thing through, no 
matter what the devil I see, or what 
happens, "be it goblins damn'd or blasts 
from hell.' So move on, John, and keep 
your eyes peeled." 

Just then, as if in defiant contempt 
of the Colonel's courageous manifesto, 
two enormous bats just grazed his 
head as they went whirring by with a 
mighty sweep of wings. In no wise 
alarmed he shook his fists at their dis- 
appearing shapes, crying out : "wait 
until I get my hands on you, you in- 
fernal interlopers." 

Stooping over a small cask he found 
modestly reclining in a niche of the 
stalagmite wall, he exclaimed, "Here we 
have something stamped: SHRUB. Well, 
I'll be hornswaggled ! Shrubs! I never 
knew before that you could drink shrubs. 
We always make button hole bouquets 
of them around here. Ikit, let us taste it 
anyway. Pshaw," turning up his nose, 
"that's a sweet weak made-up-' sort of 
drink — something, I should say, express- 
ly concocted for the ladies — God bless 
them I However we won't linger over 
that ; 'it isn't a man's drink, but a Xancy 
boy's beverage ! Your little dudes that 
lisp when they talk." 

Picking up a demure little keg, and 
tossing it in the air, he exclaimed : 

"What a diminutive affair, and so 
snugly bound? It has an air of great re- 
spectabilitv about it though, and its name 
is, let me see, LACRY:\IA CHRISTI 
NAPOLI. No wonder it is put in so 
small a package, for this is one of the 
rarest wines in the world, and none but 
a 'soiirbred.' as my old gringo friend 
Major Horn facetiously would say ; none 
but a gentleman and a scholar, should 
ever be allowed to drink it. It is a 



sweet luscious Italian wine with an ex- 
quisite flavor, reserved for the most 
exacting palates, and we have a few of 
them right here in Bethlehem. It is said 
that this is the old Falernian, with which 
Horace-'' was wont to regale his dear 
friend, the good knight ^Maecenas, and 
the Noung blades of Rome, on the 
famous Sabine farm ; and many of the 
famous Odes, I have no doubt owe their 
existence to it. It's full of inspiration. 
I'll be sworn, this was religiously re- 
served for the sole use of distingu'shed 
guests, possibly Count Zinzendorf, who. 
good pious bishop that he was, yet 
believed with the Brethren, in svmshine. 
music and good cheer. I would noi loi 
the world miss a taste of this most 
exclusive of aristocratic wines — the joy 
and solace of man}' a prince of the old 
church. Boiiuiii viiium lactificat cor 
homanis! as some convivial old Abbot 
would say. These wines are certanily 
conclusive evidence as to the character, 
requirements and accomplishments of 
both hosts and guests of the old Sun 
Inn, in the early days of its history." 

Assuming' a rather strained, up- 
right bearing, decidedl}^ military, al- 
beit with considerable effort. Colonel 
Morgan solemnly exclaimed, pointing 
to a big barrel to his right : 

"We have come to real trouble now, 1 
am afraid. Here is some genuine old 
West India rum, nearly one hundred and 
lifty years old, and as fiery and vindic- 
tive as the Old Nick ! These old piratical 
spirits never would mix with your aris- 
tocratic wines ; they're full of hurricanes 
if vou provoke them, and nothing irritates 
them more than an introduction to polite 
society, and when you turn your stoniach 
into a drawing-room the devil may be to 
pay when the introductions begin, for 
mixed society has its drawbacks. It's a 
school for scandal, I tell vou. I am game 



-"A liquor composed of vegetable .icid. especial 
lemon juice and sugar, with spirits to preserve it. 



-"■•My friends, let us seize the moment as it flies, 
and while our strength is fresh and it becomes our 
youth, let the clouded brow of sadness be far away. 
Bring forth the wine cask stored in tlie year of ray 
friend Consul Torquatus. Cease to talk of other 
things: perhaps the Deity will benignly change this 
gloomy hour and bring back to vou the joys of 
former days. Wine that is mightv to inspire new 
hopes and able to wash away the bitters of care." 
Hurotii Opera. 



BROTHER ALISRECIIT'.s SF.CRET CHAMBER 



2/ 



thouj^h, so here's for better or for 
worse." iMllins a s;lass, and holding it 
rather tiniorousl)-, he continued: "My 
aristocratic friends, let me introduce ni\- 
old ac<|uaintance. Jamaica Rum. but for 
Heaven's sake, don't rile him — he's a 
cantankerous old cuss! The older they 
sjrow. the worse they are,, you know. 
Whew! Wow! ."-Steady. John Morgan! 
xiiu've s;ot \-our hands full now. for you 
have turned vour stomach into a Donny- 
brook Fair. There's something wrong 
too with the law of gravitation in this 
old cave the wa\' the floor keeps moving 
up and down." 

"Now, for the plebeian beer from 
Christian's Lirunn ! 1 can't go back on 
this honest old Moravian brew." 

"This is truly lager beer — something 
vou don't get nowadays, for it has lain 
liere nearly one hundred and fifty years 
as well as the wine which is a laijcr wine 
for the same reason." 

"Jet::;! sclriv'iiificii li'ir den Hut 
Pas Ihcr. das Bier, war ant.'" 

"In its long sleep it has acquired many 
genuine old fashioned virtues, and talk- 
ing of sleep I am beginning to feel as if 
I were being 'rocked in the cradle of the 
dee]),' the way this old cave is rocking. 
Xext thing I'll know, some outlandish 
creature will be singing a lullaby to me. 
one of those gnomes we used to read 
about in (]erman story books." 

"Ilimmcl! Here's another barrel to 
sample, and then for the bottles. This 
cave is like a Merry-go-round, the way 
it's whirling about, and the barrels and 
casks looking like wooden horses, camels 
and ostriches ; the durned thing won't 
stop long enough to give a feller a 
chance to get on board, so there's noth- 
ing left l>ut to juni]) for it. Blitzeu' 1 
missed it that time! ]]'art a bissel da 
Rinds-ficli ! I'll get you ne.xt time." and 
he did, plus a scratch or two. 

*"Cider Royal!" he exclaimed, "that's a 
new one on me, but as Brother Albrecht 

*"C.vcU>r Ro.val is so culled, when some (|u:irts of 
liriindy are thrown into n barrel of cider, along with 
several pounds of Muscavado sugar, wherebj- it be- 
comes stronge.r and tastes better. It is then left alone 
for a year or so. or taken over the sea, then thrown 
niV into bottles, with some raisins put in; it may then 



brought you here, I'll see what you're 
made of," and a right good drink he 
found it — better than much of the so- 
called champagne of today. "Now for the 
bottles! If I can only catch them; the\' 
seem to be playing leapfrog and having 
a good time. Whoever saw the like? 
Watch me get one of 'em. Bi)is.' zrvei! 
tier! Mished them all! Guesh I'll crouch 
behind one of these ])illars and inter- 
chept 'em ! Look a here. John Morgan. 
I want yoush to understand that I'm not 
doin' all this hard drinking becaush I 
like it. I guesh I know when I have 
enough. Ije gosh! I want yoush to know 
that I'm taking an in\-entory, and musht 
drink to keep the accounts straight. 
Can't trusht nobody else to do thish. 
."".'o, not even my brosher. They'd all 
get drunk. Hie! Hie! It ish a solemn 
(!uty, and I'd be an ungrateful dog not 
to drink to the helsh of old Albrecht. 
and all his frents. There's nothing 
mean about me. and don't you forgesh 
it, John Morgan, \-ou old Buccaneer." 

The reader must not assume that 
the Colonel was in the habit of tarry- 
ing unduly over the wine cup — on the 
contrary, he was a very Prince of 
Sobriety, and not given to hilarity. 
He had extraordinary duties imposed 
uDon him in this adventure, and most 
manfully and faithfully did he per- 
form them. 

The Colonel now began to see 
things double and treble, and to hear 
\oices. He thought some one was 
crying out : "Speech ! speech !" Roll- 
ing a barrel of Canary, which some- 
how he had overlooked, into the mid- 
dle of the cave, he succeeded in 
mounting it after considerable effort, 
and making a profound bow. began 
the following oration : 

'Mr. Shairman. and fellow citishens, I 
feel very proud. Hie! Hie! to be per- 
mitted to addresh this august asshembly 
on this suspicious occashion. I desire to 
e.xpresh my a|)preschiation of the great 



deserve the name of apple wine. Cvdcr Koyal of 
another kind is made, of which one-half is cider, and 
the other mead, both freshly fermented together." 
Half's Nntes onrf Querifx. Vol IT. 3rd Series, p. 424. 



BROTHER ALBRECHT'S SECRET CHAMBER 



honor. Hie ! Hie ! you have imposhed 
upon me by making me the orator of the 
evening. Now, my dear breshren, I 
musht asshure you that mal<in' speeches 
is iiot^quite in my line. I am devilish sly. 
Hie ! Hie ! when it comesh to putting 
up a politischal job, and I am no slouch 
at shampling old wines and sphirishs ash 
vou all will bear me witnesh, neverthe- 
less. Hie ! Hie !"— 

And then the barrel began to wab- 
ble violently, and John Morgan incon- 
tinently was forced to abdicate. 

"Look a here, John Morgan, you've 
absorbed about enough of thish inherish- 
tance of j'oursh ; don't be a prodigal, 
leave a little for — well — anosher oceash- 
iun. Hie! Hie! You must take the resh 
of the asshets on trust, or you'll get as 
full ash Schinnerhannes' goat. I am a 
little drowshy. too, and I am going to 
quit, with jush one more drink. Hie ! Hie ! 
I'm going to make a poosh cafe, one of 
them hifalutin things they drinshs down 
in Ashbury Park, one of thosh things 
thash look like hokey-pokey ishcream." 

Xo French boulcvardicr could have 
done better; the poussc cafe was 
beautifully constructed, but it proved a 
night cap for Colonel Morgan, who soon 
found himself peacefully reclining full 
length in the midst of Brother Albrecht's 
ancient hoard, oblivious to war, or to the 
rumors of war, or to any other disturb- 
ing element, even to the gold and silver 
in the Brethren's strong bo.x, the quest 
for which he had reserved as a finale. 

Through his brain now floated gor- 
geous dreams, pictures of the days when 
these vintages were qtiafifed by lords and 
ladies, famous soldiers and statesmen, 
and carried away by his enthusiasm he 
swore a mighty oath, that he would cele- 
brate the one hundred and fiftieth anni- 
versary of the -"opening of the inn by 
giving a grand reception to which he 
would invite all the celebrated people 
who were ever sheltered beneath its roof. 

"Of course," said the Colonel, "all 



»"0n the twenty-fourth day of Septemlier of the 
aforementioned year 1760 (this day marks an 
epoch) the first travellers were entertained under 
its iiospitable roof." — The Old Moravian Sun Inn by 
Rev, William C. Reiehel. 



my Deslehem friends will be there too. 
to meet the illushtrious guests." It 
is wonderful what effect a little wine 
will have on some people's diction and 
pronunciation, even when taken for the 
stomach's sake. 

Invitations engraved in the best man- 
ner of the art and couched in the most 
punctilious form were sent out at once 
to all the great folk whose addresses the 
Colonel could find. Now that he had 
shot his bolt, so to speak, to which there 
was no recall, plans for the celebration 
on a scale worthy of the occasion, and of 
the guests of honor whom he felt certain 
would grace it by their presence began to 
pass in almost endless procession through 
his brain. That it must be unique, and 
in good taste withal he insisted at once, 
and moreover vt must be in all particu- 
lars an afifair in which distinction was the 
keynote. Colonel Morgan would have 
nothing commonplace ; he was a true 
Moravian in that resolve ; he would re- 
produce the ancient environment, the 
social atmosphere and manners that were 
in vogue when the ancient Moravian 
landlords welcomed the coming, and 
sped the departing guests, with a hearty 
"adieit" and "ko'jiiiie bald zciedcr," 
which sentiment still obtains, to which 
the inscription over the arched entrance 
to the Inn bears testimoii)'. 

\ ery C|uickly Colonel Morgan had 
maturei-l elaborate plans oitt of the mul- 
titude that clamored for recognition, and 
on that eventful day, the greatest ever 
known in the Lehigh Valley, the old Inn 
was resplendent without and within. The 
ancient weather-beaten sign of the Sun, 
which long had hung on the outer wall 
eclipsed in the dust of generations, was 
brilliant in fresh colors, shedding its 
cheerful rays with a glow and warmth 
that turned the temper of the town into 
the most amiable of moods. 

The distinguished guests began to 
arrive early in the morning and continued 
all through the day. Some had come the 
day before. Many came by the old- 
fashioned stage, drawn by four horses ; 



ERDTilKR ALBRECIirS SHCRET CHAMBER 



some arrived in W'imlsur chairs'"; uthers 
in Curricles^' ; again, some in Jersey 
wagons ; some in Sopus wagons ; and a 
goodly number of gentlemen on horse- 
back accompanied by their grooms and 
valets ; while others again travelled in 
great state in coaches drawn by fnur 
linrses with outriders, and postillions. 




WASHINGTON'S STATE OOACB. 



The arriA'al of so many noted pcDpL 
soon set the quaint old town into tiemoi^ 
of excitement. The appearance on it 
streets of so many strangers, appareki' 
in the picturesque costume of Coloni i' 
and Revolutionary days occasioned open 
eyed wonder among the citizens 1 he 
courtly fashion, the bowing and sci ap- 
ing, the snuff-taking, the complimenting, 
and the stately demeanor of the new- 
comers was in such striking contrast 
with the curt, bluff wav of the modern 



=»A sort of low whei'led rari-KiKi'. "In the year 
174H. Mr. Abraham Carpenter, a cooper, in Dock 
street, near the Golden Fleece, makes his advertise- 
ment, to hire two chairs * * to this effect to wit : 
"Two handsome chairs. 
With very good geers. 

With horses or without, • 

To carrv his friends about." 
— ITofson'j Annals of Philndelphia, p. 188. 
Arrived at the Inn Avgust 12. 1801.— "A 
gentleman in a Windsor chair." See Reiiistfr of the 
Sun Inn. 

"'A chaise or carriage with two whcils drawn b- 
two horses abreast. "A ver.v short trial convinced 
her that a cvrricle was the prettiest equipment in 
the world." Jane Austin, Northanger Abbe.v p. 124. 
'The splendid carriage of the wealthier guest. 
The ready chase and driver smartly dress'd : 
Whiskeys and gigs and curricles are there, 
And high-fed prancers, many a raw boned pair." 
—Crahhe. 
Arrived at the Inn, July 15, 1801. "Two gentle- 
men in a curricle, three horses and one servant." 
See Register of the Sun Inn. 



town, it was not surprising that it was 
looked upon as a .sort of gala occasion ; 
a masquerade affair — or mcschianza 
fete''- such as was once held in Philadel- 
phia in Revolutionary days during the 
liritish occupation. The citizens had 
forgotten that this was the daily fashion 
of their forefathers which had passed 
away, and unhappily with it much of the 
old-fashioned charm and formality of 
manner, the lack of which has made our 
modern life very commonplace indeed. 

Great, too, was the marvel of the town 
when twilight fell upon it to see emerg- 
ing from the did Moravian burial- 
ground — where l)isli()])s and laymen. 




Indian converts and devout sisters, rich 
and poor, the forefathers of Bethlehem 
sleep in true democratic fashion, each 
under a simple slab of stone, in no order 

^""Howe's farewell was made the occasion of a 
fete champetre, which, a splendid folly in itself, has 
been about as notorious in .\merican history as the 
Field of the Cloth of Gold used to be in the annals 
of the three monarchs. — Henry. Charles and 
Francis. The Mescliianzii was as the word implies, 
a medley, but the most salient features were imi- 
tated from the Masques, such for instance, as Ben 
Jonson used to get up for the amusement of James 
I's Court at Hampton Court." The idea of such 
a fete emanated from the brain and fancy of Major 
Andre a friend and admirer of Lord Howe, 
Commander of the British Armv in Philadelphia. 
The fete took place May 18, 1778. See Scharf and 
We.9tcotfs History of Philadelphia, Vol. I, pp. 377 
82-88. 



BROTHER ALBRECHT'S SECRET CHAMBER 



tif jirecedeiice, giving but the sleeper's 
name, birth and death, no more ; brothers 
and sisters, truly, — the form of one of 
its ancient watchmen, garbed in the 
raiment worn before the war of Inde- 
pendence, and armed with a long spear, 
swinging a quaint old lantern, and sing- 
ing the while, ancient Moravian hymns. ■'■'■ 
As he approached the old Inn, the clock- 
in the church tower, began striking the 
hour. Quitting for the moment, his sing- 
ing, he cried out, "Die Glocke hat ::chii 
(/cschlagcii, mid alles ist zvohl. Gott 
sci Dank!" and then proceeded slowly to 
make the circuit of the town, which on 
this night the venerable Brother found a 
fatiguing, as well as a bewildering and 
terrifying task. The town was no longer 
the village he knew in the old days, when 
the watchman's beat was no great aflfair 
and when a glass of wine, or ale, in the 
evening, and another at dawn, at the old 
inn, was the custom, the gift of the 
Unitas Fratrum. The custom held good 
this night too, and Brother Felsenbach 
was served with the best landlord Mor- 
gan could boast, which was no better, 
however, than the beverages the ancient 
watchman was accustomed to, as mine 
host would willingly admit. 

Well it was for the old man to be for- 
tified with spirits for he wot not of the 
unearthly ordeal awaiting him on his 



specitvllY for them in old Herrnhut, Saxonv Ijv Count 
Zinzeniiorf. 
9 o'clock. 
"Hear, Brethren, hear! the hour of nine is come; 
Keep pure each lieart and chasten ever.v hour," 
in o'clock. 

"Hear. Brethren, hear! now ten the hour-hand 

shows; 
They only rest, who long for night's repose." 
1 o'clock. 
"The hour is one! tlirough darkness steals the 

day: 
l^hines in your hearts the morning star's first 
ray V 
4 o'clock. 
The clock is four! wher'er on earth are three. 
The Lord has promised He the fourth would be." 
o'clock. 

The clock is si.x ! and from the watch I'm free. 
And every one ma>' his own watchman be." 
— James Benry's Skrtrhes of Moravian Life and 
Character, pp. 50-1. 



nocturnal rounds, for as he approached 
the rear of the town, in the neighborhood 
of Nisky Hill, along the bluff overlook- 
ing the Lehigh, he caught sight of the 
great steel works across the river, vomit- 
ing myriads of brilliant sparks of incan- 
descent fire, falling like the stars of 
heaven from autumnal skies; belching 
forth huge volumes of smoke, inter- 
mingled with blazing tongues of flame, 
colored with all the hues of the solar 
spectrum, while over the shining waters 
of the swiftly flowing river, came the 
mighty clangor of gigantic hammers ; the 
rumbling and rattling of machinery ; the 
puffing of steam engines ; where he saw, 
too, the forms of busy workmen running 
to and fro in the liglit of the furnaces, 
who he thought were imps of Satan, 
intent on some hellish task, and hastily- 
concluded that he was in the neighbor- 
Imod of the bottomless pit. He was 
mnre than ever convinced of this fact, 
when, in the midst of his terror, one of 
the night express trains, with its flaming 
headlight, spitting fire and sulphurous 
breath from the engine's smokestack ; its 
long sinuous' line of coaches brilliant 
with light went dashing up the valley, 
with a deafening roar and thunder; its 
whistle shrieking and howling as if in 
titanic pain and rage ; sights and sounds 
alien to his simple life and generation. 
Dropping his spear and lantern, and lift- 
ing his outstretched hands to heaven, 
the devout old brother c-\claimed. ".-J//- 
inacclitigcr Gott im Hiiiiinrl .' The great 
dragon of the Apocalypse, Apollyon, the 
old serpent has broken down the gates 
of hell, and escaped, to wreak destruction 
on the faithful. Woe is me, O my be- 
loved Bethlehem! What fate is thine, 
() home of the P>rethren !" 

Then hurrying and stumbling in the 
utmost terror, he fled to the old church 
he knew so well, to rouse the citizens 
with the ringing of the great bell, and to 
apjirise the Brethren of a great and 
imminent danger, whose presence he had 
just discovered. 



BROTHER ALBRECHT'S SECRET CHAMBICR 



CHAPTER II 



lUl old inn Itrilliant with 
ligiits shining from every 
casement with the rich fa- 
miliar music of tlie famous 
Trombone band pouring 
its sweet, almost human 
notes upon the summer air 
wrought such a change that 
liHc <<H,n lost sight and sense of time and 
gencratiun. and was not surprised there- 
fi>rc when ushered into the great draw- 




ing-room with a grand ceremony by 
I'.rother Albrecht. who, by the grace of 
Colonel Morgan became the major-domo 
of the evening. 

I'lie beauty, culture and rehnement of 
all the liethlehems and other ])oints in 
the Lehigh X'alley, decked in its most 
becoming fashion, had already gathered 
in the spacious dining-room converted 
for the evening into a grand salon, and 
the hum of conversation was at tlic 




GEORGIC WASHINGTON 



32 



DROTHER ALBRECHTS SECRET CHAMBER 



liighest pitch when a sudden hush came 
upon the company as Brother Albrecht. 
with a low oljeisance, and in a trembling 
tone of voice announced: "His Majes- 
Excellency, General George Washington, 
President of the United States, and Lady 
Washington." Brother Albrecht had al- 
most said: "His Majesty!" for which he 
could well be pardoned for no King who 
ever sat on a throne could compare with 
General Washington in majesty of figure, 
or in stately bearing. Most kings would 
look like footmen in his company. "His 
was a form indeed, where every god did 
seem to set his seal to give the world 
assurance of a man." He possessed in 
an eminent degree a native dignity and 
nobility of manner that required no 
adventitious ornament, or studied pose 
to make his presence imposing. There 
was no mark of the fictitious, tailor- 
made dignity .of bearing about him as 
there was about Louis XI\', le grand 
nwiiarqiic. whose high French heels were 
relied upon to give him increased stature 
and royal carriage, or even as there was 
a certain assumed, studied air of majesty 
about an immeasurably greater French 
ruler, the mighty Napoleon, who studied 
dignity and pose under Talma, the cele- 
brated French tragedian. Washington 
towered above ordinary men -with his six 
feet and two inches, anfl was as straight 
as an Indian's arrow, and when he 
walked was grace personified. 

In a voice of great dignity of expres- 
sion mingled with nuich kindliness of 
manner and courtesy he acknowledged 
tlie salutations of the company. No one 
who has ever read any of Washington's 
letters, or State papers, can fail to be 
impressed with these qualities even when 
addressing people who merited his wrath 
and indignation. He was as dignified in 
his expressions of contempt for his 
enemies as he was in those of friendshi]). 
He said : "It is a great pleasure to lie 
once more in your town ; to acknowledge 
again to a later generation the great ser- 
vices rendered the cause of liberty by the 
devoted Moravian brethren and their 
neighbors, during the dark days of the 
struggle for independence. I can ne\-cr 



forget the kindness bestowed upon my 
wounded and sick soldiers who found an 
asylum here among their most cherished 
possessions and sacred associations, nor 
the succor of food and raiment so cheer- 
fully sent to those- who hungered and 
suffered in the dreadful winter at \'alley 
Forge. These services were inestimable 
and' patriotic in the highest degree for 
they were self-sacrificing, the kind of 
service acceptable to the Most High." 

Lady Washington, whose gentle de- 
meanor captivated the hearts of all who 
came into her presence, leaning on the 
General's arm received the respectful 
greetings of the assembly, with a graceful 
inclination of the head, and smiling 
gravelv ; a most fitting consort for so 
great a man. 

Bv an intuitive sense the company at 
once assigned to these two the place of 
honor, creating, as it were, "the pres- 




BEN.T.'\MIN FR.\NKL1N 



ence" to which homage must be given by 
all who entered. None refused that 
token of respect to Washington, not even 



BROTHER ALBRECHT'S SECRET CHAMBER 



33 



those wliO were his enemies, for even a 
nnniher of th.ose hy some miserable con- 
trctcmps were later in the evening found 
to be j)resent. 

But a few nioments elapsed after the 
remarks of Washington when "His 
Excellency, Doctor Benjamin Franklin" 
was announced by Brother Albrecht. A 
short thickset man. with a great round 
head covered with a profusion of hair 
silvered with age nestling in great curls 
aljout his sturdy neck, out of whose 
snuioth-shaven face beamed two large 
eloquent eyes, stepped into the room, and 
made haste to reach the side of Washing- 
ton, who met him with outstretched 
hand, greeting him must heartily and ex- 
claiming : 

"To what kind Providence am I in- 
debted for this hajjpy meeting, my dear 
old friend and i>hilosopher. Poor Rich- 
ard, without whose shrewd judgment 
and diplomacy our long struggle for in- 
dependence would have been a failure. 
Ah, my friend, it was the French money 
and the French alliance you secured that 
gave us the victory." 

"Nay, nay," cried P'ranklin, "neither 
French gold or the French alliance 
would have availed without the master 
mind. It was you and your great genius 
and fortitude in war that alone made it 
])ossible for me to obtain either gold or 
the much needed alliance."' 

And so these two illustrious men con- 
tinued to remind each other of the great 
trials of the colonists in the building of 
the Nation, both disclaiming any special 
credit for the part they took in the great 
struggle, all of which conversation com- 
manded the greatest attention from the 
listeners. 

The friendly debate was interrupted 
by the entrance of the Marquis de La- 
fayette, whom Brother Albrecht had just 
announced. 

"Your ])resence is most opi-iortune to 
settle a (lifference of opinion" ; cried 
Franklin, "our honored General will 
have it that to me is due the credit for 
bringing about the loan of French gold 
and the French alliance during the great 
w;ir. and tlius securing our independence, 
while I as tirmly insist that but for his 



generalship in the war, as well as his 
great firmness, I would have failed in my 
mission. I leave it to you, dear Marquis, 
to say who is right." 

.\fter a most cordial greeting from 
Washington, Lafayette replied : 

"Alas, my dear Doctor, I was too 
long a member of General Washing- 
ton's military family; was too closely 
identified with his plans, his struggles, 
and disappointments; knew too well 
his supreme courage in the midst of 
the most discouraging circumstances 
to say that he is right, and that you 
are wrong in your contentions. I do 
most heartily agree with you. But for 
his splendid leadership, patriotism, the 
French would never have come to 
your assistance. It was victories like 
that of Trenton, that won for you the 
aid of France." 

The conversation now began to wax 
warm and animated ; W'ashington 
showed his delight in meeting La- 
fayette again. The young French sol- 
dier twenty-five years his junior, the 
same age as Hamilton's another of his 
proteges, had from the first day they 
met at the beginning of the war, won 
his heart, and never was man more 
true or loyal than Lafayette to Wash- 
ington. After inquiring after the health 
of the Martpiise de Lafayette, \\'ash- 
ington asked : "And how is my name- 
sake, your son?" Lafayette had named 
his only son after his .American 
friend. It was a custom begun long 
Ijefore the close of the Revolution, 
and is likeh' to continue to the end of 
time. 

L'nlike most men of the French na- 
tion Lafayette was tall and powerfully 
built, witii broad shoulders and deep 
chest. His features were large and 
strongly marked.* He had much dig- 
nity of manner, and was of a quiet and 
self-possessed disposition. It has been 
said of him : "among all the eminent 
Frenchmen of the French Revolution- 
ary period, he was perhaps the only 
one in whose career there is nothing 
to be really ashamed of." Of his abso- 
lute devotion to the .American cause 



al. V. If- 



34 



BROTHER ALBRECHTS SECRET CHAMBER 



and fidelity to Washinfjton there can 
be no question whatever, and history 
records no nobler friendship than that 
which existed between these eminent 
men. 

"Le Chevalier le Marquis de Chastel- 
lux !" came from the lips of Brother 
Albrecht. The attention of all in the 
assembly was drawn to the notable 
figure that now stepped up to General 
and Lady Washington to whom he 
seemed to be well-known and from 
hcitli of whom he received a warm wel- 
come. The amiable qualities of the 
Chc\alier, aside from his services in 
Rochambeau's army, endeared him to 
Washington, for that great man was 
not all austerity. He had a taste, in 
fact, a longing for the lighter touches 
I if human intercourse, the diversions 
that made him for the moment forget 
the weight of the grievous burden he 
was bearing. Many of his letters and 
the anecdotes of him that have come 
down to us show the intensely human 
side of his character. The chat with 
de Chastellux was much of this order, 
notwithstanding the fact that the 
Chevalier was a close observer and 
grave student of the institutions with 
which he came in contact. Washington 
often rallied him on his falling in love 
and becoming a '^narrierl man as he had 
frec|uently said that he would nexcr be 
other than a bachelor. 

The greeting" from Franklin was no 
less warm. It soon transpired that he 
and the Chevalier had been for years 
on the most intimate terms, Franklin 
corresponding with him in the French 
language. In comnlimenting him on the 
|)ublication of I'ovagcs dans rAmcriqnr 
Scptcntrionale one of his recent works, 

Franklin laughingly took occasion to 
say : "the portrait you have made of our 
country and people is what in painting 
is called a handsome likeness for which 



■■"•"In reuding your friendly and acceptnlde letter... 
I was !is we may well suppose, not less delighted 
than surprised to meet the plain American words : 
my wife! a wife! well my dear Marquis. T can 
hardly refrain from smiling to find we are caught at 
last. . . . So your day has at length come. I am glad 
of it, with all my heart and soul. It is quite good 
enough for vou." 

Foril-s: Thf True Gtorue Washi-nntrm. p. 103. 



we are much obliged to you."'''' Then 
Franklin slipping his arm through that 
of the Chevalier drew him aside some 
little distance from the company 
where theV were quickly engaged in a 
whispered conversation in which much 
quiet laughter found a place, the char- 
acter of which may be suspected from 
the following words from the lips of 
Franklin overheard by a passer-by: 

"Chevalier, dare I confess to you that 

I am your rival, with Madame (i ? 

I need not tell \(A\ that I am not a 
('angerous one. I perceive that she loves 
you very much and so does my dear 
friend, your humble servant." 

\'ice-President, John Adams, who had 
been announced soon after Washington's 
entrance, found himself close to Franklin 
and de Chastellux, one of whom had 
been his colleague in France. He was 
conversant with Franklin's popularity 
with the ladies of France, and created a 
rii)])le of amusement as he maliciously 
iiKluired after the health of '•'"'Madame 
Helvetius, for everyone knew how Ma- 
dame Helvetius threw her arms about 
the neck of ce chcv Franklin at Passy. 
Adam's extreme vanity and coldblooded 
temperament was never agreeable to 
Franklin, and he never forgave him for 
the manner in which he was ignored iji 
the negotiations for the Treaty of Peace 
with Fngland in 1783. Franklin retorted 
by asking him if he was still taken for 
his cousin Samuel Adams, who was re- 
garded as a hero by the French Court 
for his Cato-like demand upon the 
Hritish to get out of Boston in 1770. 
French societv immediatelv lost interest 



■■••'•See Lrtlfv In de Cha.itfllu.r: Fraiilliii's Works. 
Vol. 9. p. 373. Bigelow's Edition. 

•'"■•This lady I dined with at Dr. Franklin's. She 
entered the room with a careless, jaunty air; upon 
seeing ladies who were strangers to her, she bawled 
out, "Ah! .1/0)1 dieu. where is Franklin? Whv did 
you not tell me there were ladies here? How I 
look!" She ran out of the room! when she returned, 
the Doctor entered at one door, she at the other : 
upon which she ran forward to him, caught him hv 
the hand, "Eelas! Franklin;" then gave him a double 
kiss, one upon each cheek and another upon his fore- 
Iiead. Wlien we wenl '\nu< ihr mcim to dine, she was 
placed between th.' |i...i,,r imkI Mr. Adams. She 
carried on the ehi.'f nf [\i,- . miversation at dinner, 
frequently locking li.r liami into the Doctor's and 
sometimes spreading her arms upon the backs of both 
the gentlemen's chairs, then throwing her arm care- 
lessly upon the Doctor's neck." 

Lrtters of Mm. Joint Adaiim. pp. 2.52-3. 




\.^^^^rz Cf^^C^ ^Z^:C€ia^y^ 



lakea liistoiy of Boston 



P.ROTHKR ALBRHCIIT'S SECRET CHAMBER 



in John Adams when it discovered that 
he was not "the great rebel," Samuel 
Adams. It will be remembered that 
hranklin won distinction as a gallant at 
ihc Court (if X'ersailles as well as a 
diplomat. He was ever a great admirer 
of the ladies. 

just then Joseph Reed, President of 
renns\l\ania. who had entered the room 
a few moments before, after paying his 
respects to Washington, came straight- 
way to where the two were standing. 
I'ranklin presented the Che\alier'' as "a 



than in the matter of the attempted 
negotiations by the I'.ritish .Admiral 
Howe in July 1776, who was appointed 
a special commissioner to treat with the 
.Americans. Colonel Reed re])resented 
Washington at the meeting, which took 
place under a flag of truce, but inasmuch 
as "the communication from Howe was 
addressed to "George Washington. 
Esquire" he declined to receive it. His 
reply also to the British Peace Commis- 
sioners when they attempted to bribe him 
with an offer of £ 10,000. together with 




p.xuii.v nii:ri:si:i. 



Soldier, a gentleman, and a man of let- 
ters" — one who had discovered the 
secret of public happiness which he con- 
tided to the world that it might he bene- 
fitted by his benefaction. Reed at one 
time was a great favorite of Washington, 
wliich meant a great deal ; honor, merit, 
patriotic service — all these it took to be- 
come beloved of Washington. He be- 
came his military secretary after he was 
U])pointed to the command of the Conti- 
nental army. Perhaps liis devotion to 
Washington was nowhere better shown 



»"Sce Letter to Joseph Reed: Fravkliirs n'orks 
Vol, 7, p. 4). Bigdow's Edition. 



any <.ittice in the Colonies in the gift of 
King (ieorge shows the stuff he was 
made of. He said : "I am not worth ]Hir- 
chasing, but such as I am. the King of 
(ireat Britain is not rich enough to do 
it." Every schoolboy in former days 
knew this incident by heart. How man_\ 
of the boys and girls are as familiar 
with it now in this Age of Craft"' 

There was a note of real downright 
pleasure in the next announcenu'ni as 
lirother .Albrecht gave it in .sonorous 
German: "Der Freiherr Friedrich 
Adoljih von Riedesel und die Frciherrin." 
This addition to the company was of 



36 



BROTHER ALBRECHT'S SECRET CHAMBER 



rather a remarkable character as they 
were the first of the Inn's involuntary 
guests to accept the invitation to Colonel 
Morgan's reception. They were heartily 
welcome for their own sake ; the Baron 
for his admirable traits of character, and 
the Baroness for her charming person- 
ality and great goodness of heart and 
charity as well as for her beauty. Both 
had been guests of the Inn, as prisoners 
of war after Burgoyne's surrender at 
Saratoga. They were favorably known to 
many that were present this evening. 
The Baron after paying his respects to 
Washington and Lady Washington, 
was introduced to the rest of the com- 
pany, among them to Franklin, when 
this interesting- conversation took 
place. The Baron addressing P'ranklin 
began : 

"I have often wished for an oppor- 
tunity like this that I might have 
speech with you. First, let me say, 
now that the war in which I was your 
enemy has long been over, I am hearti- 
ly glad that you were victorious for 
I became convinced before I left 
America that the war was an unjust 
one and the position I was in, an 
ignoble one — that of a mere merce- 
nary — the creature of a Prince, who 
had sold my services and the lives of 
the soldiers under me to a foreign 
ruler. I have rejoiced therefore many 
times that the illustrious soldier whi:)m 
I ha\e the great honor to meet here 
tonight, succeeded in defeating the 
English armies." "Nevertheless," he 
continued, assuming a grave air of in- 
jury, "I want to remind you Doctor 
I-'ranklin. that you made my life mis- 
erable for a time with your ingenious 
and I must confess successful at- 
tempts to disorganize mv *Hessian 
regiments in inducing them to desert 
with your confounded, cleverly worded 
and printed messages in the German, 
which you managed to scatter through- 
out my camp. They did desert for they 
had no heart in the war to begin with, 

*See: Letter frmu Franklin to Grates. August 28, 
1776. Works of Frnnhliii. Vol. 6, p. 16. Bigelow's 
Edition. 

Also: Wrilhir/s „f Wa«lnn:ilnii, Vol. 4, pp. 370-71. 
Ford's Edition. 



and less when they discovered that 
they w'ere fighting fellow Messians, for 
many of your Pennsylvania and Mary- 
land Germans were of Hessian blood, 
and moreover when they learned that 
the old Baron von Steuben, Frederick 
the Great's aide-de-camp, was drilling 
your army it was "Zum Teiifel mit 
Kocuiij Gcorg dent Drittcn" after that. I 
wouldn't be surprised to find de- 
scendants of these same deserting 
Hessians present here tonight, for I 
am told that they and their sons be- 
came influential citizens, and acquired 
substantial wealth. I desire to congrat- 
ulate them in spite of the sleepless nights 
they occasioned me." 

A hearty laugh followed this outburst 
of the Baron von Riedesel in which 
Washington quietly joined for he had a 
hand in this scheme of Franklin's when 
it was first proposed. The merriment 
increased when the Baroness turned to 
Landlord Morgan, who had just come in 
from an adjoining room with an armfull 
of beautiful flowers which he had com- 
menced to distribute among the ladies. 
Lady Washington being the first to re- 
ceive this delicate compliment. 

"Herr Colonel Morgan," cried the 
l^)aroness, "will you do me tlie favor to 
tell me what the charges are at this Inn, 
at the present day? I ask this out of a 
pardonable curiosity, I am sure, for the 
last time I was a guest here in company 
with my husband and children, besides 
General Phillips, and a small entourage 
we had to pay $32,000 for six weeks' 
board and lodging. I have heard so much 
of the enormous increase in the cost of 
living at the present day that I am 
an.xious to learn whether you have ad- 
vanced the prices for accommodations 
here in proportion. I shall never forget 
the Sun Inn board bill presented by Herr 
Just Jansen,'^ and I thought him such a 
nice man too. and a Moravian as well. 
What has become of him ?" 

LTnexpected as this sally of the 
Baroness was. Colonel Morgan was not 
at a loss for a reply. 



™SeG Letters niul Jminialt uf Madime Riedesel. 
Munsell's Edition, pp. 16.5 6. 



BROTHER ALBRKCHT'S SECRET CHAMBER 



''Giiacdiyc Prcihcrnn." lie said pre- 
senting her with a beautiful bouquet of 
roses, "if I were permitted to charge one- 
half as much as old Jansen made you 
pay, I would own one-half of Hethlehem. 
and be buying back some of my ancestral 
acres, and a castle on the banks of the 
Rhine. My charges, I assure you, are 
quite reasonable as yoti shall see if you 
will honor this ancient inn with your 
presence again." "Perhaps," replied the 
Baroness, "we may be tempted to spend 
a summer here in the future. Aside from 
the schrccklichc boardbill. my recollec- 
tions of liethlehem are uKjst pleasant. 



1)\- tlieni in his honor. Like W asliington 
of whom he was a close ri\al in manly 
dignity he was over six feet in lieight and 
weighed over two lumdred pounds and 
possessed of magnificent strength and 
endurance, while in beauty of features 
and expression he was equalled by few 
nen of his time. His manners were quiet 
and refined ; his bearing was noble, and 
his temper sweet, though his wrath was 
easily aroused by the sight of injustice. 
His conduct throughout life, like that of 
Washington, was regulated by the most 
rigid code of honor. Tt was not sur- 
prising, therefore, that he was a man 




The eating and drinking were all that the 
most fastidious could ask for, and you 
know we (Germans insist upon having 
good food, and plenty of it.' 

"Major-General Daniel Morgan" came 
in stentorian notes the announcement of 
the arrival of the famous rifleman of the 
Revolution. The entrance of General 
Morgan created something of a sensa- 
tion, particularly among the ladies, who 
always adore a hero, and when that hero 
is al.so one of the handsomest of men 
there is no limit to the incense Inirned 



after Washington's own heart, and that 
the welcome he received from him was 
something far above the perfunctory 
greeting usual at gatherings of this sort. 
Though born in New Jersey, he became 
a \ irginian by adoption, and made the 
acquaintance of Washington, during the 
ill-fated Braddock expedition, where he 
assisted greatly in bringing away the 
wounded from the terrible disaster that 
overtook the British Commander. The 
acquaintance then begun ripened into the 
deepest friendshi]) during the Rcvolu- 



BROTHER ALBRECHT'S SECRET CHAMBER 



tionary war by reason of Morgan's quick 
march with his famous riflemen to the 
succor of Washington, at Boston ; the 
splendid part he took in the battles of 
Freeman's Farm and Bemis Height, the 
counterpart of the services rendered by 
the heroic Herkimer at Oriskany, result- 
ing in the surrender of Burgoyne at 
Saratoga, and the crowing glory of his 
career at the battle of the Cowpens, 
which enabled General Greene to drive 
L"ornwallis to bay at Guilford Court 
House, leading tinall}- to the cou/^ dc 
I/race by Washington at Yorktown. 

There was a note of affection as 
grasping with both hands the extended 
liand of Morgan, Washington exclaimed : 
"You are most welcome my gallant, 
loyal friend. I am rejoiced to see you 
here tonight, to have again the oppor- 
tunity after many years to recount in 
\our presence tlie inestimable services 
you rendered the cause of liberty, lle- 
lieve me the memory of Bemis Heights 
and the Cowpens has never faded from 
my heart. You and Herkimer and 
Stark, and jioor Arnold first reversed the 
gloomy scene in the opening years of the 
Revolution." 

Morgan's fine face flushed like a boy's 
at such praise, and in a low tone of 
\oice he replied : 

"You give me overmuch credit ; I did 
but my duty which God vouchsafed me 
to see clearly and to do fully. The 
humblest of my riflemen did as much and 
■oved his country in no smaller measure. 
i am grateful, believe me, my venerated 
Commander, for this expression of your 
friendship. No reward was ever so 
coveted as your word of commendation. 
Believe me, I shall cherish forever the 
memory of this meeting here in this 
r|uiet, beautiful Moravian town." 

While this unusual greeting by Wash- 
ington was going on, the company 
crowded close about these two splendid 
figures. .Admiration shone from ever)- 
eye while hearts swelled with pride at 
the thought that these two were the em- 
bodiment of the spirit that revolted 
against tvranny and finally achieved in- 
dependence. Many and eager were the 



hands that touched with warmest grasp 
those of the famous rifleman, and with 
it many a fine, sincere word of welcome. 

liut now, as if to cap the climax of this 
ovation to General Morgan, Brother 
,'\lbrecht announced the name of Mor- 
gan's old commander in the southern 
campaign : 

"Major-General Nathaniel Greene, 
Lady Greene, and the Misses Greene." 

Then there was a commotion, for 
Greene was very popular and ranked 
in military ability and achievement 
ne.xt to Washington, and has even 
been considered by some as his super- 
ior in the higher qualities of military 
genius. His campaigns have been 
compared with those of Turenne and 
Wellington for the masterly strategy- 
he displayed in forcing the movements 
of Cornwallis's army. Of Quaker pa- 
rentage his career as one of the great- 
est fighters in the Revolutionary army- 
was an anomaly, and excited heated 
comment in Quaker circles resulting 
eventually in his withdrawal from the 
Quaker Society. Like Weir Mitchell's 
"Hugh \^'yIUle," he was a "fighting- 
Quaker" as were many others at that 
time, and as many Moravians have be- 
come since the days when they were 
non-conibatants. The militant spirit 
became pronounced in our Civil War 
when many of the Pennsylvania regi- 
ments were recruited from among the 
Moravians--" and oflicered by fhem. 
many winning great distinction. The 
meeting between Greene and Wash- 
ington was most impressive, and more 
so that it was in the company of Mor- 
gan. The pleasure of Washington at 
such a reunion of his generals was un- 
mistakable, and the way they talked 
and listened and gesticulated, an on- 
looker would have thought that a coun- 
cil of war was in session debating 
some strategic movement of the ut- 
most importance. 

"I have just expressed my great 
pleasure in meeting the hero of the 
Cowpens again," said Washington to 



ral Williiim E. Doster and iitlHTs." See 
■rrrliri'x HMunj nf Brthlchein, pii. 743-50. 




BARON FRIEDRICH WILHELM VON STEUBEN 




VON STEUBEN 



BROTllKR ALP.RI'XHT'S SECRET CHAMBER 



General Greene, "and I am sure all I 
said in praise of that brilliant victory 
and the subsequent forced marching to 
effect a junction with your forces 
would have been fully seconded by 
you. Our friend is as modest as he is 
brave." 

Greene putting his arm about Mor- 
gan replied. "Nothing, General, that 
you can say in the highest praise of 
of this my old and trusted friend and 
comrade can be otherwise than de- 
served, and would meet with my 




A GENTLEMAN OF THE OLD SCHOOL 

warmest endorsement. He and his 
riflemen were Paladins. You remem- 
ber what Burgoyne said to him at 
Saratoga after the surrender: "My 
dear sir, you command the finest regi- 
ment in the world."' 

He had good reason to say all of 
that. Then Washington turning to 
where Lady ^^■ashington was deep in 
conversation \\ith Ladv Greene and 



her daughters he expressed his delight 
at meeting her again, and that she had 
not forgotten to bring her beautiful 
daughters with her." 

"And which one is Martha, and 
which Cornelia?" One of General 
Greene's daughters was named after 
Lady Washington, and both were pu- 
pils at the Moravian seminary after 
the close of the Revolution as were 
other daughters of Revolutionary sol- 
diers and statesmen.'"' 

Lady Greene was tall and "of a state- 
ly dignity" and dressed in rich brocade 
and lace with a long sweeping train, 
making a striking figure ; she was, as 
she was once described by one who saw 
her in the old days of Hethlehem. "a 
pattern lady^' of the old school," a fit 
companion for a '"gentleman of the old 
school." 

It seemed as if Colonel Morgan, our 
hosiitable landlord, had in mind to 
give Washington one of the most 
])leasurable evenings of his life, and 
most admirably did he succeed, f(jr 
nothing could have gi\-en the old Com- 
mander-in-Chief so much enjovment as 
this reunion of his old comrades in 
arms. It was the antipodes of the sad 
parting at Fraunces Tavern, in New 
York City, so many years ago, the onlv 
Inn, by the way, that can in any wav 
be regarded as a rival in historic in- 
terest and associations to the Snn 
Inn. 

There was a broad smile on the hon- 
est German countenance of Brother 
-Albrecht as in his finest German accent 
he announced; "der Freiherr und Gen- 
eral, Friedricli Wilhelm von Steuben." 

It seemed to do the old Thuringian 
Seneschal a world of good to usher in 
men of the old high-born German race. 
There was strong within him the old 
Teutonic pride of blood and birth, a 
trait that is dominant to this day in 
descendants of the forefathers of this 
interesting locality. Many of the lead- 



*""Lee, Sumter, Hui^er, 
Di-ton, Butler. Sprgpaiit. 1 
n, Roosevelt, etc.*' Mor 
KiS. 



iii.v.iid. Heister. 
.:in.<itng. Livings- 
nnari/ Souveuit, 



40 



BROTHER ALBRECHT'S SECRET CHAMBER 



int;- men in the Pennsylvania German 
churches and ci immunities were men 
of ij-entle birth and culture — the peers 
of the best in other Colonial settle- 
ments, a fact that is slowly making its 
way to the knowledge of present-day 
historians of the United States. The 
horizon of American history has been 
vastly enlarged since the days of Ban- 
croft and Hildreth. The discov- 
ery has been made of the existence of 
other races than that of the English 
who played as great a part in the mak- 
ing cf the Nation, a part that any race 



events during the Revolutionary period 
is the familiar one seen in the reproduc- 
tions of the historic painting: "Steuben 
at Valley Forge." In the midst of a 
dreary, snowclad landscape, dotted with 
the soldiers" rude log huts is seen 
Steuben before a detachment of half- 
clad and half-starved soldiers with rifle 
in hand exemplifying the manual of 
arms. In that awful winter began a 
systematic course of drilling and tactics, 
something (|uite unknown [jrevious to his 
advent, that was eventuallx' extended 




n- ii.Mjii.vKs^ 



may be proud of, and one worthy of 
emulation in the centuries to come. 

Of all the foreign military men who 
oficred their services to the struggling 
revolutionists. Baron von Steuben was 
by far the ablest, and the services he 
rendered of the greatest value to the 
American cause. In a spirit of grand 
self-abnegation, and an unselfish love 
of liberty he assumed the thankless 
temper-trying task of a drill sergeant of 
the American army. One of the most 
inspiring sights in the whole series of 



throughout the entire American forces 
and wdiich bore ample fruit in future 
campaigns as at the Battle of Monmouth, 
where Steuben rallied the retreating and 
disorganized troops of the blatherskite 
( leneral, Charles Lee. 

Hamilton who witnessed the steady 
action of the troops under -Steuben said : 
"He had never known till that day the 
value of discipline." 

In spite of Steuben's choleric temper 
often provoked to the explosive point by 
the awkwardness of the recruits, he was 
beloved by the soldiers for his kindness 



P.ROTIII'.R ALP.Rl'lCHT'S SECRET CHAMBER 



41 



towards tlieni and the synipalliy he 
showed for them in caring for them in 
their sufferings. As Carnot was Napol- 
eon's great organizer of victor)- so was 
Steuljen. Washington's great organizer 
and (hsciplinarian.^- 

Steuhen wrote the lirst Manual for the 
order and regulation of the United States 
armv. and subsequent manuals arc an 
CNolution from this work (if the old drill 
master. 



profoundest respect for each nther's 
great ability ; both of noble nature and 
given more to deeds than to speech. The 
conversation that ensued was carried on 
in subdued tones by both ; the iiaron in 
his broken English expressing his great 
pleasure at meeting his old Commander 
again, and \\'ashington in no wise be- 
hind him in showing his own delight. 
( )ne niav be assured that in the long 
wiiUer at X'alley Forge Washington a-'.d 




The meeting of Washington and 
Steuben was a sight long remembered by 
the guests of that memorable evening. 
There was a long.silent hand grasp with 
deep emotion plainly visible on their 
strong impassive countenances. There 
was ever between these two soldiers the 



*-"Seiisible. sober and brave: well acquainted 
Tactics and with the arranRement and disciplin 
an .nrm.v. High in his ideas of subordination 
impituims in his temper, ambitious." Xote 
Steuben. WnKliiiiutoji'i, Writiiii/s, Vol. XII. p. 507 



Steuben had many conlulential hours. 
A seasoned veteran of the great Freder- 
ick was too valuable an acquisition not 
to be made the most of, and Washing- 
ton was never reluctant to learn of any- 
one where his own knowledge could be 
bettered. 

(ieneral Cireene also showed his 
pleasure at meeting the old Iiaron for 
.Steuben was one of his greatest lieuten- 
ants in the great .Southern canijiaign. lie 



BROTHER ALBRECHT'S SECRET CHAMBER 



exclaimed: "l)aron, it does my soul good 
to meet you again ; it seems like the old 
days in the trenches before Yorktown, 
when so many of us here who are 
present tonight were making the last 
victorious fight for this beloved land : 
Lafayette, Morgan, and the rest. We 
must fight the battles all over again to- 
night," he laughingly continued. 

Steuben replied, '"I would have been 
better satisfied with aught else than 
kee])ing that scoundrel Arnold in check, 
with my handful of riflemen, while you 
were carrving out 'cin grosses Kriegs- 
Sf^icV — in which I had some experience 
while serving under the great Frederick." 

"Believe me, my dear Baron," replied 
(ireene, "no other man could have done 
what you did in aiding me, in playing 
as you call it, the grand game of war for 
it meant the close of the great struggle 
and the glory of it was as much yours as 
mine ; the glory is everlasting for all who 
did their duty in the part assigned them 
in those heroic days. You never failed, 
dear liaron, in doing yours, never !" 

(leneral Greene had hardly finished 
speaking when Brother Albrecht was 
heard announcing: "The Count Casimir 
Pulaski." There , was a real thrill of 
excitement as the picturesque looking 
figure of the young Polish nobleman 
stepped up to General Washington. He 
was another of W'ashington's young 
proteges, a distinction earned by the most 
brilliant service. His experience abroad 
had been of the most varied kind. A 
revolutionist in Poland, and failing in his 
eiTorts to free his country from the 
thralldom of Russia, and after wander- 
ing about Europe, his estates confiscated, 
and himself declared an outlaw, he 
found himself in 1777, at the early age 
of twenty-nine, on American soil where 
he at once attached himself to the 
-American cause becoming a member of 
Washington's stafif, taking part soon 
after in the Battle of Erandywine, where 
he c|uickly proved his ability as a soldier. 
His military capacity and swift action fa- 
cilitated the retreat of the American 
forces for which service he was re- 
warded with a Brigadier-General's 



commission, and placed in charge of the 
cavalry. 

His Legion formed some time after 
this, became famous during the short 
period he was permitted to fight in the 
cause f)f liberty. He died from the re- 
sults of a wound received in the siege 
of Savannah in 177c), mourned by all 
who knew his worth as a soldier and 
as a man. 

Washington's welcome was of the 
most flattering nature. He had learned 
to respect the great ability of the dash- 
ing voung officer, and sympathized 
with him in the efforts he had made for 
the emancipation of his native land. In 
the conversation that followed many 
references were made to the sojourn at 
N'alley Forge. Franklin also joined in 
giving him a pleasant welcome for it 
was he wlm realh' induced I'ulaski. 
whom he n^et in Paris, to enroll himself 
under the banner of the American col- 
onists. The friendly greetings that 
were showered upon him on every 
side gave the young Polish soldier a 
delightful experience. 

In the midst of these greetings the 
sound of low, sweet music was heard 
as if at a great distance, but becoming 
more distinct every moment, and 
swelling in vc^lume when the music 
began to l^e accc:>m,ianied by singing. 

As Brother Albrecht stepped aside at 
the entrance of the salon, a procession 
of Moravian Sisters led by the Sister 
Benade entered, carrying a crimson 
silk banner beautifully embroidered, 
and singing as they approached Pu- 
laski the following hymn : 

"Take thy banner ! May it wave 
Proudly o'er the good and brave. 
When the battle's distant wail 
Breaks the Sabbath of our vale. 
When tlie clarion's music thrills 
To the hearts of these heroic hills, 
When the spear in conflict shakes, 
And the strong lance shivering breaks. 

Take thy banner ! and beneath 
The battle-cloud's encircling wreath, 
Guard it. till our homes are free! 
Guard it ! God will prosper thee ! 
hi the dark and trying hour, 



BROTHKR ALRRECIITS SECRKT ClIAMIiF.R 



In the breaUing lurth of power, 

In the rush of steeds and men, 

\\\< ri'^ht haml will shield you then. -•■ 



the 



TIk' scnsatii.n this entry ot 
Moravian Sisters made was most in- 
tense. .\11 recognized the crimson 
banner as the one embroidered by the 
.Moravian Sisters during Pulaski's so- 



'"Compnsod b\ U( 



W. I.,.n!;tVll.j 



iourn at I'.ethlchem, whde he was plan- 
ning the formation of his famous Le- 
gion and where he was also visiting La- 
fayette, who lay there wounded. The 
c|uaint garb of the Sisters was most 
impressive in the midst of the gay and 
fashinnahlv dressed assembly, making a 
l)icture and a contrast never to be forgot- 
ten. 







\',iV.'iiiimti 








The Sun Inn as it appears at the present 
dav. Entrance seen through the archway. 



BROTHER ALBRECHTS SECRET CFrAMRER 



CHAPTER 111 




ISIIOP Ettwein, the fa- 
mous Moravian Brother 
oa whose shoulders rested 
the bulk of the burdens 
and responsibilities of the 
Community during the 
Revolutionary period, who 
had entered the drawing 
room with the Sisters now stepped 
forward and after paying his respects 
to ^^■ashington and Lady Washington 
who greeted him most warmly for 
they were friends of long standing 
spoke as follows: "Your Excellency 
and friends: I cannot refrain from 
adding something to the sentiment of 
the beautiful hymn sung in honor of 
the valiant soldier, the Count Pulaski, 
whom we learned to love and to ad- 
mire during his stay with us in the sad 
(lays of the Revolution. We Moravi- 
ans can never forget his chivalr'c 
treatment of the Sisters in the spring 
of 1778; the protection he afforded 
them, surrouncled as they were by a 
rough and uncouth soldiery, some- 
times forgetful of the courtesy and re- 
spect due to womanhood, and how he 
himself often in person shared the 
duties of the sentinel he had appointed 
as a special guard around the precincts 
of their House ; nor the JMay day he at- 
tended divine worship in our chape! 
with his Eegion in martial array. In 
spite of our creed which forbade a 
warlike spirit we could not feel other- 
wise than thankful that there was 
stationed in our comtuunity so <.'al- 
lant a soldier and so redoubtable a 
body of followers. ■'•' Right worthily 
did he bear himself during his stay and 
with much sadness we saw him depart 
on that long journey south to the home 
of our dear friend Henry Laurens the 
honored President of Congress, where 
he was to win great glory and lasting 
fame." 

The reception accorded the Sisters, 
\\'hose spokesman the beloved F>ishop 



Ettwein had become, was an enthusi- 
astic one, for all in that assembly had 
intimate knowledge of their devoted 
lives, and their services to the cause of 
liberty, which many like Washing- 
ton, Greene, Ethan Allen, the Bayards 
Livingstons, and Lee family showed 
their appreciation of, after the close of 
the Revolution by sending them their 
daughters or relatives to be educated. 
The training young ladies received in 
those far off days fitted them for the 
most exalted spheres of life and was in 
no wise impaired by the note of sim- 
plicity and utilitarianism that was 
dominant throughout. 

The useful arts as well as the orna- 
mental branches were taught by the 
Sisters and were specially pleasing to 
Washington who hated sham and idle- 
ness, as any one may discover who will 
read his homilies to his nephew and 
niece. Spinning, knitting and weav- 
ing were among the accomplishments 
of the Sisters and it is said that Wash- 
ington supplied himself with domestic 
goods from the "first domestic manu- 
factories of the land" as he styled the 
weaving department carried on in the 
Sisters" House. ■*■'' Here he made selec- 
tion of "blue stripes'' for his lady and 
"stout woolen hose" for himself. 

Bishop Ettwein's reference to 
Henry Laurens brings to mind the 
close friendship that was formed be- 
tween them at Bethlehem and which 
continued unbroken to their lives' end. 
The intimacy thus formed became on 
many occasions of the greatest service 
to the Moravian Community, notably 
so in the month of September, 1777. 
While Brother Ettwein was conduct- 
ing the lately arrived Delegates to Con- 
gress through the Widows' and Sis- 
ters' Flouses, he took occasion to plead 
for their inmates, whose removal from 
their homes had been urged by the 
surgeons in charge to meet the grow- 

'■•■.l/nivii-i',M Sniiiiinni S,n(r,-},i,: Fnnt mite, p. 38. 



^a^/C.^ ..i^te^^ ^ZTT^^-^^^ ^/l.^.u.^^y'^^- 




%/u-f7r,,t^^ C^fiTit^^lT^ 







nr-s 








CROTIIP.R ALRRECIIT'S SECRET CHAMP.ER 



iiiij wants of the army hospital which 
had been estabHshed here. The ap- 
]>eal resuhed in Laurens, as President of 
Congress, authorizing Richard Henry 
],ee to make the following order which 
was signed by the Delegates to Congress 
l)resent at Uethlehem, all of whom were 
Ihe guests of the Sun Inn, where a fac- 
simile reproduction of the original order 
and autographs of the signers can be seen 
at the present day/" 

Bethlehem, 22d, Sept., 1777. 

"Having here observed a diligent atten- 
tion to the sick and wounded, and a benevo- 
lent desiie to make the necessar.v provision 
for the relief of the distressed as far as the 
power of the Brethren enables them. 

■'We desire that all Continental officers 
nin.v retrain from disturbing the persons or 
liroperty of the Moravians in Bethlehem; 
rnd. pai ticuiarly, that they do not disturb 
or molest the houses where the women are 
assembled." 

"Der Baron und General, Johann 
von Kalb" from the lips of Brother Al- 
brecht announced the entry of the cel- 
ebrated German soldier who like Steu- 
l)en became a devoted supporter of the 
American cause, eventually giving up 
his life in the Southern campaign un- 
der Gates. He was in command of the 
Delaware and ^Maryland troops at the 
disastrous battle of Camden in which 
he received eleven wounds, fighting 
against overwhelming odds. No mcjre 
heroic figure ever drew sword in bat- 
tle. '"Bareheaded and dismounted, with 
sword in hand, he engaged in one per- 
sonal encounter after another, en- 
couraging his men with his voice as 
well as his example." He died three 
days after the battle and was buried 
at Camden, where a monument was 
erected to his memory. 

In passing, attention may be called 
to the interesting historic fact, that, 
men of German blood and lineage 
played a much larger part in the Rev- 

"Uohn Hancock, Samuel Adams, .lames Duaiio, 
Xathan Brownson, Nathaniel Polsnm, Richard Law. 
Kliphalet Dyer. Henrv Marchant. Richard Henrv 
Lee, Henr.v Laurens, William Duer, Cornelius Har- 
nett, Bon,iamin Harrison, Joseph Jones, John Adams, 
William Williams. 

"Delegates to Conrjress." 



olutionary struggle than is generally 
known or suspected. German sol- 
diers, mercenaries, constituted proba- 
■.jIv a majority ot the liritish forces. 
The records show that 29,867 Hessian 
troopers came to America of which 
numoer only 17.313 returned.^' Of the 
remaining 12,554, more than 5,000 de- 
serted, either making common cause 
with the Americans as combatants or 
identifying themselves with the com- 
munities in which they found a refuge. 
Many of their descendants can be 




found in Penns}lvania. \irginia. and 
Maryland today. Over 7,000 were killed, 
or died of wounds or sickness. 

The greatest number of soldiers under 
British officers in any one of the Revo- 
luticnary battles was 20.000 at the battle 
of 1 ong Island August 26, 1776. where 
so many Pennsylvania Germans were 

'■See Lnireir.l "Hr.s.iidns in Uif Rernlutinnr pp. 



46 



BROTHER ALERECHT'S SECRET CHAMBER 



present. At the battle of Brandywine 
Sept. II, 1777 the British forces under 
Howe numbered 18,000 and 15,000 at 
( lermantown Oct. 4. 1777. 

At Monmouth, June 28, 1778, Sir 
Henrv CHnton's army numljcred onlv 
11,000, and at Charleston May 12, 1780 
but 9,000, while Lord Cornwallis com- 
manded only 7,500 men when he sur- 
rendered his army at Yorktown Oct. 19, 
1781. Burgoyne surrendered with but 
fi.ooo men to Gates at Saratoga Oct 7 
1777- 

Generals Knyi>hausen, von Heister, 
von Riedesel and Rahl. the commanders 
of the Hessians were veteran soldiers 
who were trained in the school of Fred- 
erick the Great in the Seven Years' War 
and in military capacity were the super- 
iors of the English commanders. The 
service in America was extremelv dis- 
tasteful to the German officers. \Mien 
Knyphausen returned to Europe in 1782 
broken in health and minus an eye, he 
voiced the opinion of the German 
officers-**' when he said he had "achieved 
neither glory nor advancement.'" 

The German element in the Conti- 
nental army was a large and most im- 
portant one and on several occasions a 
decisive factor for the American cause. 
The battle of Oriskany fought under the 
heroic Herkimer was fought and won by 
the Germans of the :\fohawk valley and 
Schoharie. The story of the achieve- 
ments of Morgan's famous riflemen is the 
recital of the valor of soldiers of Ger- 
man blood, for more than half of his 
gallant companies were Germans from 
\"irginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania. 
The rifle with whicli his corps was armed 
\'-as a German weapon brought from 
Germany by the first settlers, manv of 
whom had been soldiers, and perfected 
l)v the Pennsylvania German gunmakers 
into the firearm that wrought such havoc 
with British officers during the Re\olu- 
tion and in the war of 181 2. 

The muster rolls, of Bucks, Lancaster, 
York, Berks, Old X„rthami)ton. Mont- 



on Doni))) s (lying words at Red B:iiiJ 
die the victim of ambition and of llii 
my .sovereign." See De ChnateUn.r. Vol 



gomery and the border counties as far 
west as Westmoreland County reveal an 
o\erwhelming German element in their 
makeup, showing not onl_\- its- numerical 
preponderance but the intense patriotism 
of the Pennsylvania German, and devo- 
tion to the cause of liberty. A list of 
German officers in our Revolutionary 
army headed with the names of Herki- 
mer and aMuhlenberg to the Captaincies 
in the militia would present a formidable 
appearance and prove to be an instructive 
chapter in the history of the American 
Revolution. When to these we add the 
names of Steuben, and Kalb, soldiers 
who had served under Frederick the 
Cireat with distinction, we cannot fail to 
be impressed with the great part played 
by men of German blood in our war of 
Independence and to wonder that so little 
has been said in American histories in 
praise of their achievements and patri- 
otism. Not until the record of their 
work in the building of the nation shall 
have been as fully and faithfully set forth 
as the achievements of men of English 
blood have been in the past, can it be 
said that we have a really true and 
impartial history of the .American people. 
In the midst of the festivities now 
growing more animated with every new 
arrival a strange hubbub was heard in 
the hall of the Inn in which raucous 
sounds, guttural alien speech were 
mingled with the energetic protests of 
Brother Albrecht in his half English and 
half German accents finally ending in the 
announcement by the faithful Albrecht 
of "die heidnischen unmenschlichen In- 
dianer der wildniss" with several mut- 
tered side remarks in German not intend- 
ed for the ears of the company assembled 
— among them expressions like: "die 
schandlich niedertrachtig Hunde" etc. 

Now took place the most imposing 
spectacle that had yet been enacted this 
memorable evening. Fifty-one chiefs 
and warriors of the Iroquois Confeder- 
acy or Six Nations entered the drawing 
room much to the disgust of Brother 
Albrecht who had attern])ted to limit the 
number to the Chiefs, but without avail 
and who had moreover vivid recollections 



RROTHKR ALP,RI':C1IT'S SECRET CHAMBER 



of the visit long since, of the celelirated 
Teedyuscung and his unwashed follow- 
ers, across the Lehigh at "The Crown," 
the ancient predecessor of the "Sun Inn" 
and of the rejoicings of Ephraim Colver, 
the long suffering publican, when they 
had departed for the lands of the Wyo- 
ming and he could sleep in peace and 
cleanliness once more. 

The Indian visitors were headed by 
Red Jacket or Sa-go-ye-wat-ha (He 
keeps them awake) the famous warrior 
and orator of the Seneca nation fre- 
quently called the Indian Demosthenes. 




KKIJ J.XCKIiT 

With him was the noted Cornplanter, the 
first temperance lecturer in the United 
States, the uncompromising foe of strong 
drink in the Indian nations. 

There were also Good Peter or Dom- 
inie Peter, Piig Tree, Farmer's r.rother. 
Little Billy, Captain Shanks, the Infant, 
or Hanangaikhon. the tallest warrior in 
the Six Nations, measuring fully six feet 



and four inclies. and Pierre [aquette or 
()tsic|uette the young and intelligent 
( )neida chief who had been adopted into 
the family of Lafayette and taken to 
iM-ance at the close of the Revolution to 
be educated. 

Red Jacket in spite of his antagonism 
to the arts of civilized life appeared 
this evening wearing the richly em- 
broidered scarlet jacket which had 
been presented to him by an English 
officer soon after the Revolution as a 
reward for his fleetness of foot in a 
rumiing contest, and which gave him 
the nickname by which he is best 
known to the American people. He 
also wore the medal of solid silver 
which Washington ga\-e him on the 
conclusion of a treaty of peace between 
the United States and the Six Na- 
tions in 1792. His tall erect form and 
dignity of manner in walking made 
him an impressive figure, while his ad- 
dress when speaking at Council meet- 
ings has ne\er been surpassed for ma- 
jesty by any of the great orators of the 
white race. In spite of his implacable 
hostility to Christianity he was most 
Iriendlv to the Mora\-ian I'.rethren 
whose unselfish de\'otion to the India 1 
race he had long been cognizant of and 
nluctanth' acknowledged. "The ma- 
ority of the party were dressed in 
white linen shirts, short woolen coats, 
Indian leggins, consisting of a piece of 
cloth bound around the calf of the leg 
with thongs, and snugly fitting moc- 
casins of deerskin, which latter the 
wearer is wont to dip into cold water 
in winter before going abroad in order 
to protect the feet from frost. .\ num- 
ber hatl the sleeves of their coats adorn- 
ed with large plates of silver, or wore 
trinkets of the same material on their 
bosoms. Some had silver rings and 
pendants inserted through the cartilage 
of the nose ; most of them wore mas- 
sive ear-rings of silver or co;)per, whidi 
bv their weight drew down the cxtrem- 



48 



BROTHER ALP.RECHT'S SECRET CHAMBER 



ity of the ear and lengthened the slit 
through which they were passed. 
Their faces were curiously painted in 
red, and vermilion was strewed on the 
lock of hair left on the crown. A few- 
carried rifles, the rest were equipped 
with tomahawk, knife, tobacco pouch, 
and the trusty bow and arrows. The 
more civilized were dressed somewhat 
after the manner of the whites, wear- 
ino; in place of cloaks, the favorite 
blanket around tlie shoulders, and on 
their head uncouth caps of fur."''" 

No guest in the Assembly was more 
astonished at the entrance of the dusky 
procession than Landlord Morgan who 
began to say things that were more 
forcible than poetical, and particularly 
so when he expressed himself in the 
Pennsylvania German patois. "Jl 'ass is 
loss da!" he exclaimed "z^'ass fa dii'iuiia 
soc'lia sin do:'" Ich hud sie net all eimjc- 
laiiteii: iislit cii halb dut::cn oder so and 
do kuinina finfciy oder sechssig — zvass 
muss dcr Washington denkaF" It was 
not until he had seen Washington shake 
hands with Red Jacket and his followers 
and had been assured by the Rev. Samuel 
Kirkland the Presbyterian clergyman and 
missionary who had accompanied 
them that they were all sober, that he 
became reconciled to their presence in 
the midst of the grand company he 
had brought together. Even then he 
was seen to shake his head vigorously 
during the rest of the evening and to 
hnkl confidential talk with Brother 
Albrecht, much to that worthy's dis- 
comfort and evident annoyance. 

The entrance of Sir ^^Mlliam John- 
son still further mollified Landlord 
Morgan when he noticed the effect his 
presence produced upon the Inilians. 
The moment they caught sight nf his 
dignified and pleasing figure they be- 



gan to cry out : "Wariaghejaghe ! \\ ar- 
iaghejaghe!" the name given him when 
he was adopted by the }\fohawk nation. 
After paying his respects to Washing- 
tnn anrl Lady Washington, whom he 
reached with much difficulty, so enthu- 
siastic was the reception given him by 
the Indian chiefs and warriors, he be- 
gan to converse with them in the In- 
dian tongue which he spoke fluently. 
It is said that no white man that ever 
li\ed possessed so great an influence 
o\er the Indian tribes as Sir William 
Johnson. 

lie culti\-ated their friendship by ac- 
commodating himself to their manners 




"'■'The (lay after their .arrival (March 9, 1792) 
the Brethren gave them a formal reception in the 
chapel. The pupils of the Seminary, at their 
special request were among the spectators, and par- 
ticipated in the ceremonies of the occasion. The 
Indians were seated across the length of the hall in 
two semicircular rows facing the minister's table, 
which stood against the west wall of the building. 
After the performance of an anthem with full ac- 
companiment by the choir, Bishop Ettwein made 
them an address, to which Red .T.acket responded." 
Moravian Semincrii Sovvfnir, p. 102. 



Slli WILI.IMI .TOHN=;ON 

and sometimes to their dress and by Ivs 
unfailing justice and honesty in his deal- 
ings with them he won their entire con- 
fidence and became the most powerful 
personality on the Indian borders. His 
marriage to Catharine Wiesenberg, 
daughter of one of the German Palatines 
of the Livingston Manor who subse- 
quently settled in the Mohawk Valley 
gave him additional standing and influ- 
ence among the Germans of that region. 
The i)roverbial fidelity of the Indian 



BROTHER .\LBKF.CHT"S SFXRET CllAMriKR 



character when once their friendship has 
been given was amply shown on this 
evening. The delight and demonstrative 
])leasnre manifested by these stern im- 
passive warriors was a remarkable 
exhibition and long remembered by the 
guests of the evening. 

Even Brother Albrecht began to think 
that he had been perhaps too harsh in 
his judgment of the Indian guests when 
he saw how amiably and decently they 
behaved during the evening after the 
advent of Sir William Johnson, and how 
great was the interest shown by Washing- 
ton in Red Jacket and his fellow chief- 
tains. He had no knowledge of the in- 
vitation from Washington to Red Jacket 
to meet him at [Philadelphia to discuss a 
treaty with the Six Nations, or he might 
have understood something of the assur- 
ance with which these sons of the forest 
forced their way into the drawing room. 
No place in their estimation was too 
sacred in which to meet the great \\'hite 
leather and particularly so on Moravian 
soil which to the Indian was alwa\s a 
refuge of safety or comfort in case of 
need. The Moravians were not behind 
the Jesuits in their friendly, kindly treat- 
ment of the Indians. 

Attention was diverted from the In- 
dian chiefs by the entry of General 
Thomas Gage, the Commander of the 
r.ritish forces at Bunker Hill. In meet- 
ing Washington he renewed an old ac- 
((uaintance formed in the first instance 
in tlie Braddock Exjjedition in which he 
was wounded. While ^^'ashington was 
covering the retreat of Braddock's panic 
stricken soldiers, tiage. then a l.ieut. 
Colonel, rallied a few of his troopers and 
succeeded in taking the mortally 
wounded Braddock to a place of safety. 
Gage in the course of his conversation 
with Washington recalled the events of 
that disastrous venture to the Forks of 
the Ohio, as being the occasion that first 
gave the English government some idea 
of his military ca])acity and energy, the 
full extent of which was to be realized 
on many a hard fought ba'tle field in the 
Revolution. 



Referring to the defeat of the British 
arms in that great struggle Gage frankly 
acknowledged that Washmgton's role as 
a peacemaker between the Colonies and 
the Mother Country was infinitely more 
successful than his own part when he 
attempted in Boston in the year 1774 to 
adjust the dift'erences that divided the 
two countries. In calling Washington 
■"a peacemaker," he meant, the success- 
ful general after a successful campaign. 
He realized, he said, that mere talk and 
threats such as he indulged in before the 
Ijattle of Bunker Hill made no impres- 
sion on a people who felt the justice of 
their cause and were prepared to battle 
and die for it if need be. 

During this conversation John Han- 
cock and Samuel Adams had joined the 
group that surrounded \\'ashington and 
by whom the\- were introduced to Gage 
who immediately recognized them as old 
Boston acquaintances whom alone he 
had exempted from pardon in his procla- 
niation promising clemency to all rebel- 
lious New Englanders. He intended to 
hang Hancock and Samuel Adams. 
Laughing he shook hands cordiall\- witli 
them expressing his great pleasure at 
meeting them again and reminding them 
that "it was one of the attributes of 
humanity to be at fault occasional!}- in 
its judgment of men and things, and that 
he had become convinced long since that 
the Colonists had just cause for griev- 
ance at the ill treatment of the home 
governnient. The narrow liature ot 
George III and his fatuous advisers was 
responsible for the loss of the American 
Colonies to the English Crown, an irre- 
l)arable loss, but he believed best though 
for mankind." a sentiment hcartiU' 
ap|)laudcd by Hancock and Adams, whn 
had long ago forgiven him his vindictive 
manifesto. Franklin who overheard the 
conversation quietly smiled in that saga- 
cious manner of his that became famous 
on two continents. It was truly a great 
gathering of old time friends now re- 
joicing in the blessings of peace and in 
the success of whilom rebels. 

The announcement b\' Brother .\]- 
brccht of the arrival of General Richaril 



BROTHER ALBRECHT'S SECRET CHAMBER 



.\Iuntgonier\' and General John Sullivan 
added greatly to the stir and interest that 
was manifested in the now crowded 
drawing room. It will be remembered 
that Montgomery and Sullivan received 
their commissions as Brigadier Generals 
in the Continental Army on the same 
day ; both young men and in the prime 
of life. Both were figures of surpassing 
interest to the company — Montgomery 
for his gallant ill fated invasion of Can- 
ada and Sullivan for his successful 
expedition against the Indians of the 
.Six Nations, and both were welcomed 
with every evidence of respect and ad- 
miration — .Sullivan receiving quite an 
ovation from Red Jacket and his fellow 
chiefs and followers. The Indian nature 
is generous in its recognition of a brave 
and talented foeman and Sullivan re- 
ceived a proof of it this evening. 

Montgomery was a most attractive 
figure ; he was "tall, of fine military 
Ijresence, of graceful address, with a 
bright, magnetic face, winning manners 
and had the bearing of a prince." So 
he was described on the eve of his de- 
l^arture from Saratoga on his Canadian 
Campaign. 

(General Gage had reason to studv the 
personality of Montgomery with more 
than ordinary interest inasmuch as his 
own exploits at Boston were contrasted 
with those of Montgomery's in Canada 
and to his disadvantage. Montgomery's 
untimely death was mourned by friends 
and enemies alike, both paying tribute 
to his valor. In the British parliament, 
Edmund Burke, contrasted the condition 
of "the 8,000 men, starved, disgraced 
and shut up within the single town of 
Boston, with the movements of the hero 
who in one camjiaign had conquered 
two thirds of Canada-" To which Lord 
North replied: "I cannot join in lament- 
ing the death of Montgomery as a public 
loss. Curse on his virtues ! they've un- 
done his country. He was brave ; he was 
able ; he was humane ; he was generous, 
l)ut still he was only a brave, able, 
humane, and generous rebel.'' "The 
term rebel," retorted Fox, "is no certain 
mark of disgrace. The great asserters 



of liberty, the saviors of their country, 
the benefactors of mankind in all ages, 
have been called rebels." 

( )f a sudden in the midst of the fes- 
tivities, above the lively hum of conver- 
sation, the hearty salutations and good 
natured laughter was heard the distant 
sound of muffled drums and fifes, play- 
ing a stirring war-like march that made 
all comrades in arms present, stand at 
attention. Hurried steps were heard 
coming through the hall and a messenger 
hastily entering the drawing re cm quick- 
ly elbowed his way to Washington with 
whom he held a whispered conversation 
at the end of which Washington strange- 
ly moved, turned to Generals Greene, 
r^Iorgan, Steuben and Kalb and in a 
voice that almost trembled with emo- 
ti<.)n addressed them: "^.ly old com- 
rades: I have but this moment received 
a message that may well disturb the 
poise of the strongest man. Dear a.s 
is the memory of this beautiful town 
to me by reason of the many splendid 
services and loyalty shown the cause 
of liberty in many a dark hour of our 
great struggle for Inde ;)endence by 
the Brethren here, \'et I have been 
often saddened by the thought of the 
hundreds of my brave soldiers who 
have bivouacked these many years on the 
hospitable Moravian soil ; who suc- 
cumbed to disease and to wounds not- 
withstanding the skill and tender 
nursing of the Sisters and Brethren, to 
the faithfulness of which you will, I 
am sure, bear glad testimony my old 
friend," turning to Lafayette who had 
joined the little group of Generals. 
Continuing Washington said : "Among 
these were many Virginians, some of 
whom were members of your corps of 
riflemen. General Morgan : most of 
them gallant young men, choice snirits, 
too voung to die. In some strange 
mysterious way they have learned of 
my presence here tonight and have 
begged me to grant them the favor of 
a review as at \'alley Forge and at 
Brand}-wine. They will be on the 
march presently and I request you and 



BROTHER ALBRI-XMIT'S SECRET CHAMBER 



those assembled here Id share with me 
the honor of their sakites." 

Then was witnessed another strani^e 
sight on this memorable night of won- 
flerful experiences. The spectral forms 
of nearly a thousand Continental sol- 
diers''" and Riflemen in the well known 
Continental bufif and l)lue uniforms and 
the Riflemen's buckskin jackets and 
leggins came marching up the street 
toward the old Inn. wdiere stood Wash- 
ington surrounded bv the Generals and 




DK r.AiAVETTE (after Hoiuloii ) 

officers present, marching in solid 
ranks and in perfect alignment with 
arms at a carry. .As they neared their 
commander the command of "Platoons 
right, present arms!" was heard and 
l)latoon after platoon of the long pro- 
cession wheeled with beautiful preci- 
sion, facing \\'ashington and present- 



■■"■■T)ie hnu.sp of tlie single ui 
iios|jilal — It is iiicrcdil)le hnw m 
nf prcipcr care and .ittention a 
iuisii|iijlie(l with drugs. Poin 
tield till- hoad of the Society si 
seven or eight hundred of the . 
died here during the winter." ' 
Vol. 11, pp. 51213. 



k- perished for want 
the hospital being 
ET to an adjoining 
: "There lie buried 
erican soldiers who 
Anburei/'n Tiarela. 



ing arms wheeling again at the com- 
mand of "Platoons right! carry arms!"'" 

This incident afifected Washington 
profoundly as well as General Morgan 
wdio recognized among the fiiflemen 
many of his young Virginia back- 
woods friends. .Steuben too, was filled 
with strong emotion when he noticed 
among the Continental soldiers num- 
bers of the recruits he had drilled at 
Valley Forge, and Lafayette also when 
he saw some wdiom he had met w'hile 
he himself lay wounded at Bethlehem. 
The sight of these old veterans of the 
Revolutionary armies brtiught back in- 
numerable incidents of the war to the 
memory of the officers assembled. The 
dangers of Ijattle, the pangs of hunger 
and fatigue on the long and lonelv 
marches were realized again by them 
all as they looked upon the marching 
columns. The silent salutes impressed 
them more than salvos of artillery or 
loud huzzas. 

During the excitement created by 
the passing of the Continental soldiers 
and Riflemen several announcements 
were made by Brother .Mbrecht. and 
when ^^'ashington with his escort of 
officers returned to the drawing room 
quite an accession to the number of 
guests was apparent. Conspicuous 
among them were a number of officers 
wdio seemed to gravitate to each other 
b\- some mysterious influence. Their 
presence created much surprise an<l 
embarrassment by reason of their well 
known antagonism to Washington in 
the early days of the Revolution. The 
two most prominent in the group were 
Generals Gates and Conway the lead- 
ers of the famous "Conway cabal" 
which for a brief time came near con- 
trolling the deliberations of the Conti- 
nental Congress in their endeavor to 
displace \\'ashington as Commander- 
in-Chief and putting Gates into his 
place. The capture of Burgoync at 
-Saratoga proved too much t'or tlu- xan- 
ity of General Gates. He developed 

'■'The writer fears that he has been guilty of an 
nd trusts that his army friends 



BROTHER ALHRKCHTS SKCRKT CHAMBER 



very quickly a "swelled head" in the 
))arlance of the [jresent day, which only 
attained normal proportions after his 
defeat at Camden in the disastrous 
Southern campaign where he was super- 
seded by Greene. 

r_andlord Morgan in his generous in- 
vitations to the old guests of the fa- 
mous Inn overlooked the fact that per- 
haps some of the guests might be 
l^ersona non grata to Washington 
which was the case so far as Gates and 
Con),vay were concerned, notwithstand- 
ing that Conway in a letter to Wash- 
ington acknowledged the great wrong 
he had done him. Generals Sullivan 
and Schyyler were seen to scowl fu- 
riously when they saw Gates in close 
conversation with Conway — wdiile the 
Xew Englanders present avoided meet- 
ing thein. A number of these worthies 
were involved in the beginning of the 
Cabal with Gates in the effort to de- 
prive Washington of the chief com- 
mand. Washington's exposure o f 
Gates however as a liar and the author 
(J f certain dishonorable correspon- 
dence made the Xew England mem- 
bers of the Continental Congress 
ashamed of their conduct, the memory 
of which they sought to keep in the 
background this night, by avoiding 
anvthing like cordiality in a meeting 
with Gates or Conway.''- Sullivan 
and .Schuyler had ample reason to 
dislike Gates. Mis treatment of Schuy- 
ler and of Arnold before and after the 
battle of Saratoga was contemptible 
and was productive of great harm to 
the American cause. Sulli\an's gen- 
erous Irish blood asserted itself when 
he exclaimed to Schuyler: "There's the 
coward responsible for Arnold's undo- 
ing." Arnold's brilliant work at Sara- 
toga and at Freeman's Farm and the 
cowardly conduct of Gates were so 
well known to the army officers that 
there \vas always more or less sym- 
pathetic feeling for Arnold among 
them, in spite of his treason. 



By a strange coincidence just as Sul- 
livan made his reference to Arnold, 
the announcement was heard : "Major 
John Andre!" There was possibly no 
incident during the eventful evening 
that so fully marked the extraordinary 
character of Landlord Morgan's recep- 
tion as the entry of Andre, represent- 
ing as he did the inost tragic event in 
the Revolutionary struggle. The en- 
gaging personality of the handsome 
young officer at once won for him the 
warm friendly sentiments of the as- 
sembly. Even Washington's kindly 
regard, was shown in the manner in 
which he welcomed him. During the 
evening not the least reference was 
made by anyone in conversation with 
him to any of the unhappy incidents 
that so tragically closed his career. It 
was the refined, polished gentleman 
who was recognized, and graciously 
received and entertained. 

In a conversation .\iulre had with 
Landlord Morgan he expressed his 
pleasure at again being a guest of the 
Sun Inn. -"Many years before, while 
passing through Nazareth and Bethle- 
hem on his' way to Philadelphia he said 
he had enjoyed its hospitality, a fact 
not generally known. Our landlord 
was greatly pleased with Andre's ref- 
erence to his first visit to Bethlehem 
and with the compliments he paid him 
on the brilliant gathering he had so 
successfully brought together. 

That the receptitin was a success 
was e\-ident ; there was no lack of 
movement or con\-ersation among the 
guests, who very soon formed them- 
selves into groups drawn together by 
the memory of old ties of friendship or 
of service in Colonial or Revolution- 
ary days or by reason o[ kindred tastes 
and pursuits. This was shown in a 
little coterie aloof from the crowded 
space about Washington that was en- 
gaged in an animated and exidenth" en- 
jo^-able conversation. The character 
of the topics discussed may readily lie 



=="A S! 


!Cret cue 


ili.v, (,r in other « 


■<.i-<ls 


, a danseiou 


incendijir 


V : in \v 


hich L-haracter s„ 


oner 


(ir later thi 


tt'ltrf In 


Will kno 

lintrs, .1 


w Gc'neral Conwa 
auuaru 4, 1778. 


>■•" 


Wn.'ihiniitiin 



■■■'A MSS. Juurnal in the possession of the Penn- 
sylvania Historical Society makes mention of .An- 
dre's journey through this section. 




MAJOR JOHN ANDRE 
From the original painting by Andre 



BROTHER ALBRECHT'S SECRET CHAM lil'.R 



53 



j^'ucssi'd w lu-ii we learn the persnnalily 
of those eiJinpDsing' the gi'(.)up. The 
most eminent of these was the astron- 
omer and phikisopher David Ritten- 
lioiise, and the others were Peter S. 
I )u Ponceau for a long time the Presi- 
dent of the American Philosophical 
Societ}- : the Ahbe Correa de Serra. 
Minister to the L'nited States from 
Portugal, a meml)er of the Royal So- 
city of Lisbon and distinguished as a 
naturalist and linguist; Dr. John 
Schi'ipf the celebrated traveler and 
naturalist ; Pjaron Hermelin the Swed- 
ish mineralogist; the Rev. Johan Au- 
gustus Milius, Chaplain to the liaron 
von Riedesel, a scholar with scientific 
tastes ; the Chevalier Conrad Alexandre 
Gerard, the Minister from France to 
the United States, who was honored 
with the degree of LL. D. by Yale 
College; Don Juan de Miralles.a Span- 
ish gentleman, a friend of the Chevalier 
Gerard : the Right Reverend John Ett- 
wein, the Moravian Bishop ; Joseph J. 
Mickley, the Antiquarian and First 
President of the American Numismatic 
Society ; several of the professors from 
Lehigh University and Lafayette Col- 
lege ; Asa Packer, builder of the Lehigh 
Valley Railroad and founder of the Le- 
high University ; President Joseph Wil- 
lard of Harvard University ; the Rev. 
William C. Reichel, the Moravian his- 
torian, and David Thomas, of Catasau- 
qua, the founder of the iron industry in 
the L'nited States with anthracite coal 
for fuel and the use of the hot blast for 
smelting iron ores. 

The conversation was learned and 
manifestly of the greatest interest and 
withal interspersed with suggestions 
of trade and commerce. Dr. Schopf 
was particularly anxious for informa- 
tion concerning the "pearl fisheries" of 
the Lehigh river, while Baron Herme- 
lin had a great deal to say about the 
silver ores near Nazareth. Dr. Schopf 
was very persistent in his inquiries af- 
ter a deposit of agates, cornelians and 
other \-arieties of the mocco stone he 
liad tried to locate many vears before. 



which he 1)clic\cd would be found in 
the Blue Mountains. The only thing 
that the Doctor could locate with defi- 
nite certainty howexer was a rock on 
the other side of the Lehigh, cavities 
in which were filled with a fine yellow- 
powder, "'^ which was used in Bethlehem 
in lieu of "Avriting sand." When in- 
formed by the professors from Lehigh 
University that lilotting paper had 
taken the place of writing-sand he was 
quite astonished and seemingly disap- 
pointed. Fie examined with great 
curiosity some of the blotters that 
Landlord Morgan presented him with 
later in the evening. The Baron and 
Dr. Sch6])f were amazed when told 
that the iron ore, cement rock, and 
slate found in the Lehigh \'alley had 
brought greater wealth to it than all 
the pearl fisheries of Ceylon ever pro- 
duced or half the silver mines in the 
world. They were convinced of the 
truth of this statement the following 
day when Landlord Morgan took them 
over the Lehigh A'alley in his airship. 
Charles M. Schwab, F'resident of the 
liethlehem Steel and Iron Company, who 
had been announced a few minutes be- 
fore, was introduced to the scientific 
group by Mr. Albert Brodhead, the pro- 
prietor of the Sun Inn, and experienced 
the busiest half hour in his busy life, 
answering innumerable questions from 
all sides concerning iron, steel, armor 
l)lates, vanadium, manganese and zinc 
ores, bessemer processes, hot blasts, 
magnets and railroads. They were great- 
ly impressed with the description given 
of the process of hardening steel armor 
|ilates by Messrs. George and Charles E. 
Pettinos of Bethlehem, who discovered 
and are supplying the material used in 
the operation. 

While Mr. .Schwab was exjjlaining the 
technical processes of making steel 
armor plates, his audience was increased 
1)\- the presence of Commodore John 
liarry. the Commander of the old Frig- 
ate, "United States," ranking officer of 



■"■'See: -InHdenls nf Travel throutih •■.oi/ic of the 
MiiUUe ami {ioiilhfn, ruilril Stales, etc.. 1783 niiil 
l-Slliv Dr. Join, .fi-hnei,! Kniirrullt. ITSH." Vol. 1, 
p. 1 i::. 



BROTHER ALBRECIIT'S SECRET CHAMBER 



the old Na\y, who at once began another 
series of searching questions. It will be 
remembered that ir.e Commodore super- 
intended the building of his flagship of 
which he was very proud. He seemed 
quite skeptical for a time when told that 
battleships built entirely of steel plates a 
foot thick and weighing from 20,000 to 
30,000 tons could float in sea water, 
carrying cannon, firing balls weighing 
half a ton and over to a distance of three 
miles and farther. He looked very 
quizzically at the Messrs. Schwab and 
Pettinos, when with an amused smile he 
inquired whether the Blarney stone had 
I'een stolen by some enterprising Penn- 
sylvania German in recent times and set 
up in Bethleliem. A midnight ride in 
Air. Schwab's automobile, (in itself a 
marvel tn the ancient Commodore) to 
the steel works after the reception was 
over, quickly convinced him that naval 
architecture had undergone a decided 
change since he built the " United 
States" and that he would not have much 
show in a hght with a modern battleship. 
He was very quiet (in the way back to 
the Inn ; he realized that times had 
changed and that he belonged to another 
age — ^^as he cinibdentially informed 
Washington whom he met on his return 
tn the Inn. "Horseless carriages and 
shi])s without sails jiropelled with hot 
water" he said "are too much for my 
sim])le brain. Today while getting out 
of the way of a chap riding between two 
wheels hitched tandem fashion I was 
nearly demolished by an airship that 
crime .sailing down the street at the same 
time. I was told too that they talk now 
through solid wires for a hundred miles 
or more, and bottle up music like wine. 
^'ou take out the cork and the music 
flows tint in an)- tune ynu want. It is 
too much for me \'our Ilxcellencv." 

^n incident of unusual interest was 
*he greeting given by Washington to 

^Sir: Brigadier Cfenertil Mcintosh having reiniestcd 
fnim CoiJSTsss leave to retire from the command to 
the Westward, they have, by resolve of the 20th 
February, granted his request, and directed me to 
appoint an officer to .succeed him. From my oi^inion 
of your abilities, your former acquaintance with the 
baclc counti*\-. and the knowledge you must have ac- 
(Itiired upon this last tour of dutv, I have appointed 
'ou to the command in preference to a .stranger. * 
***** As soon as Congress had vested me 



Surveyor General Daniel lirodhead, 
brother of (iarret Brodhead. the ancestor 
)f Mr. Albert Brodhead, the proprietor 
■)f the Sun Inn. General Brodhead was 
among the most trusted of Washington's 
officers. '1 he conhdence he reposed in 
his ability and discretion was shown'""' in 
a conspicious manner when he appointed 
him to succeed (jeneral Lachlan Mc- 
intosh as Commandant of Fort Pitt in 
1778 and to undertake the chastisement 
of the Indians in the Western Country 
who had Ijecome a source ot great annoy- 
ance, their hostilitx' interfering great- 
ly with his plans of operation in the 
east and south. 

After a hearty handshaki; \^'ashington 
'^aid: "This is the most wonderful social 
affair of my life. I cannot turn in any 
direction without seeing some cherished 
friend, some officer whose ability and 
loyalty were of such \'ast service to their 
country in aiding me in my trying posi- 
ton as Commander-in-Chief of the 
army. Here I meet you most une.xpected- 
ly my dear (ieneral, al.so my valiant Sul- 
livan and the faithful meritorious Mc- 
intosh, three'of my lie.st Indian fighters." 
Turning again to (ieneral Brodhead he 
continued: "1 would have been in sore 
straights had you not so thoroughly 
chastised the Mingo and Muncy tribes 
on the Ohio giving them a lesson the>' 
did not forget during the rest of the war. 
My dear friend Sullivan here ga\x' the 
same tliorough ])unishment to the .^i.x 
Nations, the memory of which their 
tribes will never forget. I needed every 
soldier in my operations against the 
British forces and could not afford to 
have them doing duty on the Indian 
frontiers. I have never forgotten your 



with the superintendence and direction of affairs to 
the westward, I gave General Mcintosh orders to 
make preparations. ***** Had Generat 
Mcintosh come down, you would have been fully 
competent to carry on the preparatiims. but if you 
quit the post, I apprehend there will be no officer 
left of sufficient weight and iibilit\ Tins is an opin- 
ion which T would wish you ti> kii p i,, \i,urself, be- 
cause I might give offence to niln . is in nil nther re- 
spects very worthy of the stations tltr\ till." 

Extrarts from letter to C,.l.,„,l Hr.i.llirod. from 
General Washington dated: Headquarters, Middle 
Brook, ,5th March, 1779. This letter does not ap- 
pear in any of the collected writings of Washington, 
and is in the possession of a descendant of General 
Brodhead. 

See Bintoni of Northumberland Co.. Pa. bv Kverts 
and Stewart, Philadelphia. 1876. 



RROTllKR AI.P.RF.CHT'S SECRET CHAMBER 




JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH 

ReprinU'd with permission, from the Life of Johann Sebastian Bach. by- 
Sir Hubert Parry. Copyright, lyog. Iiy C P. Putnam's Sons, \e\v \'iirk.""' 



ljrilli;uu and effective .services — and am 
very happy this night in being permitted 
to thank you again for all you accomjj- 
lished and that I meet you here in com- 
l)any with Sullivan and Mcintosh under 
the same roof. This is truly a wonderful 
aft'air — to me at least, meeting a,^ I do so 
many of you gentlemen of the army. 
Here comes also my ok! friend Kno.\, 
good soldier and .sound .statesman as I 
always found him. Lewis too and Max- 
well, and .\rmstrong and Woodford and 
the worthy .Mifflin, veterans all. It 
makes m\- heart glad to see vou all here 
together." 



Attention was called to a distinguished 
looking group surrounding Benjamin 
Franklin engaged in spirited conversa- 
tion. It was a reunion of the signers of 
the Declaration present this evening, 
among them George Walton, Lyman 
Hall, William Ellery. \\'illiam Whipple, 
John Hancock and Charles Thomson 
"the Samuel Adams of Philadelphia" 
who should have been a .signer, so great 
and patriotic were his services. 

"The poitniit of Biuli in this skololi is a reprodiu-^ 
ticm of s rccentlv discovMV'iI pninting in the pos- 
sessi.iii of Doctor Fritz Voll.iioh, of Germ.iny. 



;6 



BROTHER ALBRECHT'S SECRET CHAMBER 



A startling interruption of the ani- 
mated conversation took place in the 
midst of the group surrounding Major 
Andre as General Morgan suddenly grip- 
l)ing hard the arm of General Schuyler, 
exclaimed in awe stricken tones : "Good 
( Jod ! General ! Look ! Look ! See that 
face at the window ! — It is Arnold ! — by 
all that is holy ! What in Heaven's 
name has brought him here ! The last 
place in all this great world to visit ! Is 
he mad !'" 

There, true enough, was Benedict 
Arnold standing like a wraith close to 
the window wearing the uniform of a 
Major General in the Continental Army, 
his pallid face wearing such a look of 
sadness as but few men in all the cen- 
turies have worn ; his eyes filled with an 
expression of intense suffering and long- 
ing. If ever remorse was seen personi- 
fied, ii was so in that silent figure at the 
window looking in upon the gallant com- 
pany — many of whom in da}'S gone by 
he had numbered among his warmest 
friends — chief of whom was Washing- 
ton whose loyal faith and trust he so 
foully betrayed at ^^'est Point. He be- 
held here, not only former comrades 
whose friendship and admiration he had 
enjoyed, while battling for his native 
land, but also military foes whom he had 
opposed in gallant fashion, honored 
guests here this night, but who he knew 
would have spurned him had he claimed 
their fellowship in his new service. Of 
all mankind, he was the one man with- 
out a country — the one man denied the 
privilege of rejoicing in the success of 
the nation he had so freely shed his blood 
to found in the beginning of his career. 
Had he but suspected the great secret 
that lay in the womb of Time, the world 
would have been sjjared the reading of 
one of the saddest chapters of American 
hi.story. 

General Mtirgan in a voice filled with 
the accents of the deepest regret broke 
the stillness that had fallen like a spell 
upon the gathering as he exclaimed : 
"Had he but died at Saratoga all would 
have been well with him." .Arnold, who 
seemed t(> lla^■e heard Morgan, turned to 



him with grateful eyes whose flashes 
bore the same thought. With a great 
sigh that was heard by all he then faced 
Washington who had watched him with 
evident emotion, saluting him in the old 
way with the profoundest respect, and 
then wheeling quickly he vanished from 
the gaze of the astonished company. 

The tremendous tension was broken, 
and the guests once more began to move 
about and converse. The subject of 
conversation for a long time however 
was the strange unheralded appearance 
of .\rnold. Only two of all the compan_\- 
refrained from comments and these 
were General (jates and Major .\ndre, 
biith linked for all time to the story of 
.Arnold's shame — the one to a certain 
degree responsible for it, and the other 
the unhappy victim of it. 

Much curiosity was evinced when 
I'lrcther .\lbrecht announced in his most 
fnrnial manner and with evident pride: 
"His Highness Maximilian, Fiirst 
( F^rince ) von \\'ied ; liernhard, Herzog 
( [5uke ) Zu Sachsen-Weimar-Eisenach ; 
die Grafin ( Countess ) Benigna von 
Wattville ; die Baronin ( Baroness) Anna 
Dorothea von Wattville, und der hoch- 
geliorene Herr Pfarrer ( Pastor ) Johan- 
nes Christian Alexander von Schwein- 
itz : also der Baron von Repsdorfif." 
These were guests whose social standing 
appealed strongly to Brother .\lbrecht, 
who was something of an aristocrat. 
(_)nce in a great while, when the occasion 
excused the reference, he would quietly 
speak of ancestors who dwelt in castles 
in the German land and who rode out 
to battle at the head of warlike retain- 
ers. Moravian that he wa.s — a man of 
peace and humility — yet he could not 
quiet divest himself of family pride any 
more than could Count Zinzendorf. Fine 
family traditions are possessions worth 
hax'ing and living up to. 

This accession to the company after 
[laving their respects to Washington .soon 
were heard earnestly conversing in the 
German tongue witli Steuben. Kalb. the 
Riedesels, Dr. .Schoepf. Heckewelder. 
the missionary, the Banm vmi Hermelin. 
and Captain Da\'id Ziegler, who had 




CHIEF JUSTICE WILLIAM ALLEN 
Founder of Allentown. Penna. 



P.ROTIII'.R AI.l'.RF.CIIT'S SHCRET CI lA.M I'.I'.R 



liastened to give them a cordial Lierman 
hcimath greeting. 

As if to show in the strongest possible 
light the cosmopolitan character of this 
wonderful gathering lirother Albrecht 
was heard announcing in the French 
tongue: "le Chevalier de La Neuville; 
M. de La Balm; M. de Montmorenci 
le Marquis de Laval ; la Comte de Cus- 
tine de Sarreck ; le Comte de St. Maine ; 
le Comte de St. Victor; M. de Liancourt, 
le Due de la Rochefoucauld," and, to cap 
the clima.x as well as to illustrate the 
revolutionary character of the age, the 
rise and fall of individual families as 
well as that of nations, he finished l)v 
announcing; "His Majesty Joseph I'.ona- 
parte, King of Spain." 

The reception given to the (lerman 
nobles was a mild affair when compared 
with that given to tliese illustrious 
Frenchmen. Several had served in the 
Revolution under Rochambeau — and all 
were intimately known to Lafayette who 
gave them the warmest greeting possible. 
In the Comte de Custine, the Baron 
Steuben recognized an old comrade in 
arms, who had served with him under 
l<>ederick the Great. They had much to 
say to eacli other — and manv a thrilling 
incident of the Seven Years' War did 
they recount during the evening. Much 
tragk- interest was attached to the career 
of Comte Custine as he was one of those 
who suffered on the guillotine during the 
Reign of Terror. 

Barely had the distinguished French- 
men mingled with the assembly when 
another Frenchman's name was an- 
nounced, that of the Huguenot refugee 
from Picardy: Anthony P.enezet — the in- 
timate friend and confidant of Count 
Zinzendorf— of whom was said as he 
lay in his coffin in Philadelphia on the 
day of his funeral, by a Continental of- 
ficer : "I would rather be Anthonv Ben- 
ezet in that coffin than General 'Wash- 
ington with all his fame." The friend- 
less and oppressed always fcumd a friend 
and helper in Anthony Benezet, and it 
was not surprising therefore that he re- 
ceived the warmest greetings from all 
assembled. The French nobles were 



|)roud of one who had brought fresh 
lustre and honor to the French name 
e\en though by one wlio had been exiled 
because ot his religious belief difi'ering 
from their own. Haj.jpier days had 
dawned for France ; the curse of relig- 
ious intolerance had been lifted forever, 
and exiles like Benezet were now hon- 
ored as among the most distinguished of 
her sons. Washington and Lafayette 
showed him the greatest attention — for 
they had known him well in the days of 
travail and remembered many a gener- 
ous deed. 

The arrival was announced of Lord 
Montague, Royal Clovernor of South 
Carolina, and Lady Montague, accom- 
panied by Sir John Sinclair, John Gard- 
ner, {'^squire, -.\ttorney (leneral of Si. 
Kitts in the West Indies and John I'enii. 
the poet, son of Thomas Penn, whose 
affable, gentle nature made him a wel- 
come guest wherever he went. Penn's 
poetical lines to Bethlehem and the 
Lehigh written many years before were 
recalled by the Sister Kenade who asked 
him whether he still wooed the muse as 
of old. 

There seemed no end to the arrival of 
noted guests — Brother Albrecht jusl 
having announced Benjamin Rush, Sur- 
geon General ; John Dickenson, whose 
timidity prevented him from signing the 
Declaration of Independence; Chancellor 
Robert Livingston, ^linister to France, 
favorite of Napoleon, and to whom is 
due the cession oi Louisiana; lUishrod 
Washington; Fdmund Pendleton of \'ir- 
giania, one of the ablest statesmen of 
the Revolutionary and Formative period 
of the nation, whose masterly arguments 
in favor of the ado])tion of the Constitu- 
tion it would be well for some of our 
latter day statesmen td studw He said, 
it will be remembered, among other not- 
able sayings : "There is no quarrel 
between government and liberty" and 
again: "It is a government of laws, and 
not of men." .'sentiments like these ex- 
pressed by him today would m:\\c him 
unpoinil;ir with a cert;iin school uf poli- 
ticians who are busy in the endeavor to 
discreclit our ancient charter of liberties. 



BROTHER ALBRECIIT'S SECRET CHAMBER 



Still later arrivals were the U. S. 
Senator Richard Hrodhead. (jovernor 
.Morris and Samuel Wharton. Esquire, 
the Philadelphia merchant who barely 
escaped hanging at the hands of the Eng- 
lish authorities in England because of 
his friendship for Benjamin F"ranklin. 
"That was a close call your neck had old 
friend." exclaimed Franklin when they 
met later in the evening. "I shudder 
wlienever I think of it." 

Brother Albrecht had announced so 
many military oflicers during the even- 
ing that unconsciously he had assumed a 
military bearing which was observed by 
many of his old friends with much quiet 
amusement. It was quite pronounced as 
he ushered in General John Glover. Lord 
Sterling. Colonel William .\ugustine 
Washington, and the old veteran. Gen- 
eral Edward Hand. 

.An announcement that created the 
greatest interest was that of Commodore 
Paul Jones, founder of the .\merican 
.N^avy. who stejjped into the drawing 
room leaning on the arm of Mr. John 
Fritz, of Bethlehem, one of the pioneer 
makers of armor plates for the great 
modern battleshi])s. There was un- 
doubted fitness and propriety in this 
escort of the great naval hero of the 
I'Jevolution. 

The revolt against England was un- 
questionably successful because of the 
\-ictories on land by the military forces 
under \\'ashington. and not because of 
any decisive naval battles. The victories 
on the seas of Barry and Jones however 
were brilliant e.xploits and no doubt did 
much to put heart into the struggling 
colonists in their long drawn out contest. 
The victories of Barry and Jones showed 
too the daring qualities of the .American 
sailor and sea fighter and what might be 
expected of future generations of 
.American seamen in time of war — a 
promise amply fulfilled in the War of 
1812; in the war with the pirates of 
Tripoli ; in our own Civil War, and the 
epoch making Spanish War. 

-So gallant a figure, one so truly a 
national hero could not long remain i.so- 
lated in such a company where all were 



familiar with his IjrilliaiU exploits on the 
high seas. .None were more cordial in 
their greetings than Commodore Barry, 
whose generous Irish nature prompted 
him also to say : "Commodore, you have 
no doubt heard of the attempt that is 
being made at the present time to make 
me figure in American history as the 
founder of the .American Xavy. by a lot 
of belated Irishmen — recent arrivals — 
who are busy painting our history a 
bright Irish green. I have been confi- 
dentially informed that General Wash- 
ington himself is to receive a thick coat 
of emerald. Some conchologist has dis- 
covered I hear that he had an Irish an- 
cestress four or five thousand years ago. 
Just because I resigned as master of a 
trading ship in 1776 and accepted the 
command of the "Lexington." a bit of a 
cruiser, and was lucky enough to cap- 
ture a llritish cockle-shell — the tender 
"Edward." a lot of wild Irishmen are try- 
ing to make me figure as a Napoleon in 
naval history. Nelson and Drake are 
'not in it' with me as they say in this 
lively town of Bethlehem. Now I don't 
want you for a second to think that I 
approve of such talk. No sane man 
would say that any exploit of mine was 
at all comparable with the capture of the 
"Serapis.' Now if I had commanded the 
"Bon Homme Richard' I would have felt 
like pluming myself with feathers 
plucked from the bird of fame. I have 
always said that Congress did a shabby 
thing in not establishing the rank of a 
Rear .Admiral and conferring that honor 
upon you — as they talked of doing — but 
Congress was guilty of some very pecu- 
liar things you know. You remember 
how near it came to taking the chief 
command away from ^^'ashington. Luck- 
ily a public man's reputation and achieve- 
ments can with entire safety be left to 
the avenger Time." 

Paul Jones, with that winning sniile 
and courteous manner that made him 
such an enviable figure at the Court of 
Louis X\'I replied with a laugh : "Com- 
modore, you are taking these matters too 
seriously. In the language of a well 
known naval commander of the recent 




HOUDON BUST OF JOHN PAUL JONES 
From plaster cast in the Trocadero Museum, Paris 



llRoTliia-! ALI'.kl'-.CIlT'S SECRET CI lAM I'.I'R 



Spaiiisli War: 'there is glor}- eiiuugh for 
e\eryljoiI\ .' Vou accomplished great 
things — nothing tlial 1 know of was nncr 
than your capture of the 'Atalanta' and 
the "Trepassy." I'.y the way have ymi 
tuUy recovered from the wound you re- 
ceived on that occasion :" 

Liarry changed the subject by saying: 
"Come this way Commodore, I want ytnt 
to hear about the wonderful new battle- 
ships built of steel with steel cannon tir- 
ing steel balls weighing a thousand 
pounds a distance of five miles. With 
one ship like that either one of us could 
have sunk or captured everv ship in the 
British Navy." \ery quickly Charles 
M. Schwab, and John Fritz were seen 
busily drawing sketches and making ex- 
Ijlanations to these two redoubtable nava' 
heroe.s — on whose faces amazement 
could be plainly seen. 

The surgeons of the Continental Hos- 
pital also had their little gathering to 
recount their sad experiences at Bethle- 
hem and elsewhere: Dr. William Ship- 
pen, Dr. lohn Morgan, Dr. Jackson, Dr. 
John Duffield, Dr. John Warren, brother 
of General Joseph Warren, tlie hero of 
Hunker Hill, and Dr. James Houston. 

The chief magistrates of Pennsvlvania 
were well represented in the ijersons of 
(Governors James Hamilton, Richard and 
John Penn, and Thomas .Mifflin and had' 
much to discuss when they found them- 
selves in unexpected convention. Tlie\ 
were joined by Governor Davis of .Morth 
Carolina, and by James Allen the found- 
er of .Allentown and the Huguenot, John 
I'.ayard a distinguished patriot of" the 
devolution. Colonel William Polk of 
-\orth Carolina. Cf)lonel Eliot, Col. 
John Bannister and Colonel Horsfie'd 
and James Lovell of Boston, member (if 
the Continental Congress, and who was 
imprisoned by General Gage the British 
Commander at I'.o.ston in 1775. were 
among the belated guests of the'evenii-g 
but vvere received nevertheless rigli7 
cordially. General Gage later in the 
evening apologized to Congressman 
l.ovcll for sending him to Halifax; "but 
you must blame your passionate devotion 
to the i<le;i of "Independence" which 



\-ou were aware 1 was sent to .\merica 
to combat" he exjilained. 

Among the guests wdno seemed ner- 
\-ous and discontented was the restless 
iM-enchnian, IJrigadier (ieneral Roche de 
bermoy who somehow proved unsuccess- 
ful as a soldier by reason of insuh;)rdi- 
nation, and became much disliked b)- 
Washington in consequence. He was 
really responsible for St. Clair"s unha])pv 
experience at Ticonderoga. 

When the evening had been far spent 
and the flow of conversation in the gal- 
lant company was at flood-tide and 
all invited guests had long since ar- 
rived, Brother Albrecht Was heard 
above the babble as with a beaming 
countenance he announced in a ringing- 
voice: "The worthy and venerable 
Herr Johann Sebastian Bach, Koenig 
yon Musikland." There then stepped 
into the room, a blind old man. his 
head covered with a great wig, much 
like that of an English Chief Justice. — 
a face which once beheld never after 
forgotten ; massive, noble features, al- 
most stern, eyes in which shone the 
light of genius and about him the un- 
mistakeable air of a master. Rowing 
gracefully to the company, he ad- 
dressed it with much dignit}' of speech 
and manner: "Afy friends" he said, 
"you will forgive I am sure the intru- 
sion o'f an uninvited guest — a poor old 
musician whose wdiole life has been de- 
voted to music, the composing of it as 
much as its interpretation, and who 
was simple enough to believe that he 
had written something that expressed, 
as nothing ever before by man, the 
glorious mission of music, when he 
coniposed his "B Minor Mass; who had 
hoped and prayed that he might be 
privileged to hear it sung as he bad con- 
ceived' it should l)e sung, before he had 
passed beyond this mortal life; to hear 
the 'Sanctus' sung by a devout and 
worthy chorus." 

"That hapjiiness was denied him in bis 
old home in Germain-, Init not so in this 



The mifrlitiest rh.irni worii cvi-r 
■.!;'■« [.iff nf Bnrli. p. .S07. G. P. Puiinin 
Yoi-lv. 



6o 



BROTHER ALHRECHTS SECRET CHAMBER 



new and wonderful land where music is 
regarded as a rare gift of the Almighty 
and singers and composers are not 
treated as if they were ■''^beggars, but as 
Ijrinces. We dwellers in the realm be- 
yond the grave, know and liear things 
you dream not of. A great English 
master, one of the Immortals, whom I 
have met and who calls me 'brother' 
once said, as you will remember: 'there 
are more things in heaven and earth 
than are dreamt of in your philosophy.' 
'Tis true! the blind see, the deaf hear; 
we live the life denied to us on earth; 
the sdul expands and is in harmony with 
the majestic order of the universe. 
Think you that you can send a message 
across the seas on the winds of heaven 
as men do now and question our abilitv 
to hear such messages too ; aye, and to 
send them also? Can you doubt our 
faculty to hear the music of mortals 
when our souls are attuned to the music 
of the spheres? "There's not the smallest 
orb which thou beholdest. but in his 
motion like an angel sings, still quiring 
to the young eyed cherubins ; such har- 
mony is in immortal souls: Ijut while thi.^' 
muddy vesture of decay doth grossly 
close it in we cannot hear.' " 

"Ah, can you conceive with what emo- 
tion I have heard sung in this beautiful 
burg in your May Festivals, the music I 
composed when the Moravian llrethren 
lirst made this their home in the wilder- 
ness, a Pennsylvania Germany, where 
men are born free and equal. The sing- 
ing was more than even I dared hoped 
for ; your singers gave it qualities I 
dreamt not of. Your great "^"critic ex- 
pressed all that I felt when he said : 
'anything more inspiring than the de- 
hvery of Cum Sancto Sf^iritii in the B 
Minor Mass it would be impossible to 
conceive. It was magnificent in the vital 
throbbing of its beat, in the growth of 
its tone from beginning to end and in 
the breadth of its style. Such choral 
singing is indeed a privilege. It was a 
performance in which the sublimity of 
tlie music was perfectly disclosed.' 

■»/'«rri/-.v Life uj Hurl,, pp. .-,(>7-S. G. P. Piilnam's 
.Sons. Xpw Ydi-k. 

'■■'W. J. Umulersi.n in the Xcw Yiirk Times. 




MRS. JOHN AI).\MS 

ISelieve me it brought tears of joy to 
my poor old blind eyes. I felt repaid 
for all my labor and its lack of appre- 
ciation in m\- own day. And this is 
why I am here tonight, that I might 
greet you all and thank you for the great 
honor you have done my memorv in 
your splendid May Festivals and to wish 
you God speed in your devotion to 
music, for believe me it is the speech of 
happy souls on earth and in Heaven." 

The commotion the presence and 
remarks of ISach created it is impossible 
to describe. To have among them the 
King of Music, the master, but for 
whose genius the famous Mav Musical 
Festivals of Bethlehem would be un- 
heard of, was conceived to be almost as 
great an honor as the presence of 
Washington. To place the stamp of the 
greatest distinction upon the occasion, a 
niemory to be treasured as a jirecious 



r.ROTllER ALBRHCHT'S SECRKT CHA.MBI-IR 



thing, I'rofessor J. Frederick W'olle the 
genius of the May Festivals approached 
IJach with the greatest reverence and 
begged him to play some of his favorite 
clavier compositions, sonatas, and arias 
for the company. Consenting most gra- 
ciously liach was escorted, leaning on the 
arm of Professor W'olle, to the grand 
piano, which excited his boundless 
wonder and admiration. All his work 
of this nature had been done on the 
ancient clmicr with its primitive key- 
board and other limitations, but such 
as it was, it (hd not hinder him from 
becoming the greatest pianist of his 
time. 

This night he played as never be- 
fore. The flood gates of music seemed 
to have opened and glorious melodies 
deluged player and listeners alike. 
Xot only did he play his favorites of 
the long ago, but he improvised as he 
only could do, on theme after theme : 
one in particular holding the companj-'s 
rapt attention. He caught the spirit 
of 1776, a most appropriate theme on 
such an evening and in the midst of 
such a gathering of the heroes of the 
Revolutionary struggle. He expressed 
in magnificent phrasing the pangs of a 
new born nation and its triumphant 
career to the present time. 

The playing of Bach created an al- 
most startling effect on the company, 
particularly so upon Washington and 
his old officers, who notwithstanding 
their lack of musical culture recog- 
nized the marvellous genius of the 
great composer. The German and 
French officers present were in rap- 
tures as they had more or less ac- 
quaintance with Bach's compositions, 
having received musical training in 
their younger days. The Baroness 
von Riedesel seemed transformed. 
She had approached the blind old 
master during his playing and hung on 
every note with intense emotion. 
\\"hile Bach was resting for a moment 
the Baroness whispered a request 
which brought a succession of smiles 
to his face, as nodding he at once gra- 
ciously complied with it. 



The atmosphere of the Inn began to 
thrill with music that brought every 
lady and gentleman to their feet ; old 
and young, were quickly in the de- 
lightful mazes of the waltz, treading 
measures such as mortals never trod 
before, ^^ashington dancing with the 
Baroness von Riedesel and Lafayette 
with Lady Washington. The poetry 
of motion was never before so beauti- 
fully demonstrated by so distin- 
guished a company and surely never 
before under the spell of music such as 
that which Bach gave in unstinted 
measure and in the most wonderful 
rhythmic movements. 

Landlord Morgan showed himself 
a paragon of the Terpsichorian art 
with Lad}^ Greene as his first partner 
and with man\- others before the 
music ceased. The dancing ended 
with the stately minuet, a French 
dance very popular during the Coloni- 
al period in Europe and America, and 
frequently indulged in at the Court of 
Versailles during the reign of Louis 
XI \", that monarch often taking part 
in it. It is doubtful if the Court of 
Louis ever witnessed so noble a pre- 
sentation of this aristocratic dance, 
led as it was b}' Washington in his 
grandest manner with Lady Schuyler 
as a partner. There too in the same 
company were General Morgan and 
Lady Washington. Lafay^ette and the 
Baroness von Riedesel. Richard 
Henry Lee and Lady Greene. In 
other sets were John Hancock and 
Lady Penn, Governor John Penn, and 
Mrs. Morgan, the mistress of the Sun 
Inn, Colonel Ethan Allen and Mrs. 
John Adams, Governor Morris and 
Mrs. Wade Hampton, Baron von 
Steuben and Miss IMartha Washington 
Greene. General Brodhead and Lady 
Mifflin, destined to become the Gener- 
al's second wife, Albert Brodhead and 
Lady Allen. 

Never before was tlie minuet danced 
to such music as given by I'ach ac- 
companied by the famous Trombone 
band, and never before or since was 
the minuet danced so gracefully or so 
naturally. "Ach Gott! die Ameri- 



62 



BROTHER ALBRECHT'S SECRET CHAMBER 



kaner! est ist allcs eiiis, tansen odcr 
kampfcn'." exclaimed the Baron von 
Riedesel as he witnessed the beautiful 
evolutions of the dancers. He looked 
in wonder at the splendid figures of 
^Vashington, Morgan and their asso- 
ciates moving with the utmost grace 
through all the figures of the dance, 
and when it was finished he was pro- 
fuse in his expressions of delight and 
in his congratulations. 

By skillful manoeuvering the com- 
pany was induced to wander through 
the wide halls, balconies and parlors 
of the Inn, which enabled Landlord 
Morgan to execute a brilliant bit of 
gastronomic strategy. All the prepara- 
tions had been made for a sumptu- 
ous refection with which to end the 
evening's entertainment, and with his 
well drilled corps of servants the 
whilom drawing room resumed its old 
function of a dining hall. Tables ap- 
peared as if by magic, followed quickly 
by the production of the choicest 
Pennsylvania German cookery, and 
the rarest A-intages. The doors were 
thrown wide open again and the com- 
pany found their way back to the 
transformed drawing room, much to 
their bewilderment. Landlord Mor- 
gan in a short graceful address bade 
the company be seated and to accept 
his hospitality which he assured his 
guests he should consider the greatest 
honor of his life. A second invitation 
was not needed. A short grace from 
the lips of the Moravian Bishop Jo- 
hannes von Wattville and the merrv 
company at once began to prove the 
quality of Landlord Morgan's enter- 
tainment. 

When hunger had been stifled and 
the clinking of wine glasses began to 
be heard on all sides, toasts began to 
pass freely around the tables : toasts 
couched in the approved fashion of 
the day: formal, and fashioned in the 



quaint phrases of the times. The 
toast given by Richard Henry Lee was 
acknowledged by all to have been the 
best of the evening: "Here's to the 
health of General George Washington : 
First in ^^'ar: First in Peace and First 
in the hearts of his Countrymen.""" The 
toast embodied the sentiment of all 
mankind and was received with over- 
whelming applause by the company, 
who drank it in the rare Lacrynia 
Christi wine found by Landlord Mor- 
gan in the secret chamber of Brother 
Albrecht. Toast followed toast in rap- 
id succession and an era of good feel- 
ing was evident very soon in the midst 
of which, speeches of felicitations and 
congratulations were freely given. 
Landlord Morgan had risen to his feet 
to propose a toast when a tremendous 
racket and shouting was heard. 



"jdhn Morgan! John Morgan! Hello- 
Jnhn Morgan! Where are you? Hello!" 
was shouted by lusty lungs and echoed 
through the subterranean galleries un- 
til it reached the sleeping form of our 
adventurous landlord in Brother Al- 
brecht's Secret Chamber, who was sud- 
denly awakened by the glare of torch- 
es in the hands of friends. Colonel 
Morgan found himself confronted by a 
numerous company come in search of 
him in the midst of which he recog- 
nized his good wife and little son. 

Rubbing his eyes and giving a 
mighty yawn and stretching himself so 
that every joint and muscle cracked 
and creaked he exclaimed: 'T had the 
m(ist wonderful dream ever dreained 
in Bethlehem. Let's take a smile." Tak- 
ing John gently by his hand Mrs. Mor- 
gan replied: "Come, John, dinner is 
readv.'' 



""■■Words used by Eidiarrl Hi'iirj Lee 
Eulogv Mil Washington before the joint ho 
Coneress Dec. 26, 1799." 



THE END. 




ANCIENT SEAL OF THE UNIT AS FRATRUM 



» 



LB A 



P '» 



